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	Niue System of Government Information
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Pacific Governments - Niue

GOVERNMENT OF NIUE

Country name:

• Niue

• Alofi

• self-governing parliamentary democracy; self-governing in free association with New Zealand; Niue fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains responsibility for external affairs
• Former government: 

• 19 October 1974 - Niue became a self-governing parliamentary government in free association with New Zealand

Constitution:

• Niue Constitution Act 1974 (NZ) - 19 October 1974

Legal system:

• Certain British and New Zealand Acts; common law; customary law.

Suffrage:

• 18 years of age; universal

Official Languages:

• Polynesian closely related to Tongan and Samoan, English

(i) Executive Branch:

Head of State: the British monarch - hereditary; the UK and New Zealand are represented by New Zealand High Commissioner.

Head of Government: the Premier - elected by the Legislative Assembly for a three-year term.

Cabinet: consists of the Premier and three ministers.

(ii) Legislative Branch:

Niue Assembly: Unicameral Legislative Assembly - 20 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; six elected from a common roll and 14 are village representatives.

(iii) Judicial Branch:

Supreme Court of New Zealand; High Court of Niue

(See Court System for a full overview)

Regional Government:

• 14 villages each with its own village council whose members are elected and serve three-year terms