The Government of Puerto Rico is a republican form of government subject to U.S. jurisdiction and sovereignty. It is defined under the Constitution of Puerto Rico pursuant to Pub.L. 82-447 and ultimately its powers are all delegated by the United States Congress and lack full protection under the United States Constitution.
The Government is composed of three branches: the executive, the legislative, and the judicial branches. The executive branch is headed by the Governor, currently Mr. Luis Fortuño, who is also the head of government. The legislative branch consists of a bicameral Legislative Assembly made up of a Senate upper chamber and a House of Representatives lower chamber. Puerto Rico's head of state is the President of the United States, currently Barack Obama. The governor and legislators are elected by popular vote every four years.
The judicial branch is headed by the Chief Justice of the Puerto Rico Supreme Court. The legal system is a mix of the civil law and the common law systems. Members of the Judicial branch are appointed by the governor with the "advice and consent" of the Senate.
Read more about Government Of Puerto Rico: History, Legislative Branch, Executive Branch, Judicial Branch, Revenues and Expenditures
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