Belize: Political structure
- Content Type
- Country Data and Maps
- Institution
- Economist Intelligence Unit
- Abstract
- No abstract is available.
- Topic
- Politics, Summary, Political structure
- Political Geography
- Belize
Official name
Belize
Form of state
Representative democracy
Head of state
Queen Elizabeth II, represented by a governor-general
The executive
Prime minister, chosen from the majority party in the legislature, heads a cabinet of ministers responsible to the legislature
National legislature
Bicameral National Assembly: 13-member Senate (the upper house), six of whom are appointed on the advice of the prime minister, three on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and one each by the churches, the business community, the trade unions and non-governmental organisations; 31-member House of Representatives (the lower house), comprising directly elected members serving five-year terms
Legal system
UK-style judicial system; the final court of appeal is the Trinidad and Tobago-based Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ)
National elections
November 11th 2020; next election due by February 2026
National government
The People's United Party (PUP) holds 26 of the 31 seats in the lower house
Main political organisations
Government: People's United Party (PUP)
Opposition: United Democratic Party (UDP)
Prime minister; minister of finance, economic development & investment: John Briceño
Deputy prime minister; minister of natural resources, petroleum & mining: Cordel Hyde
Key ministers
Agriculture, food security & enterprise: Abelardo Mai
Attorney-general & national security: Magali Marin
Blue economy & civil aviation: Andre Perez
Education, culture, science & technology: Francis Fonseca
Foreign affairs, foreign trade & immigration: Eamon Courtenay
Health & wellness: Michel Chebat
Home affairs & new growth industries: Kareem Musa
Human development, families, & indigenous peoples' affairs: Dolores Balderamos
Infrastructure, development & housing : Julius Espat
National defence & border security: Florencio Marin
Public service, constitutional & political reform : Henry Usher
Public utilities & logistics: Rodwell Ferguson
Rural transformation, community development, labour & local government: Oscar Requeña
Sustainable development, climate change & disaster risk management: Orlando Habet
Tourism & diaspora relations: Anthony Mahler
Youth, sports & e-governance: Kevin Bernard
Central bank governor
Joy Grant
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