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{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}
{{Use Liberian English|date=August 2020}}
{{Politics of Liberia}}
The '''Politics of Liberia''' takes place in a framework of a [[presidential system|presidential]] [[representative democracy|representative democratic]] [[republic]] modeled on the [[Federal government of the United States|government]] of the [[United States]], whereby the [[President of Liberia|president]] is the [[head of state]] and [[head of government]]; unlike the United States, however, Liberia is a [[unitary state]] as opposed to a [[federation]] and has a pluriform {{nowrap|[[multi-party system]]}} rather than the [[two-party system]] that characterizes US politics. [[Executive power]] is exercised by the government. [[Legislative power]] is vested in both the [[Forms of government|government]] and the two chambers of the legislature.

Liberia is still in transition from dictatorship and civil war to democracy. Liberia's government is based on the American model of a republic with three equal branches of government, though in reality, the [[President of Liberia]] has usually been the dominant force in Liberian politics. Following the dissolution of the [[Republican Party (Liberia)|Republican Party]] in 1876, the [[True Whig Party]] dominated the Liberian government until the 1980 coup, eventually creating what was effectively a stable, [[one-party state]], with little politics in the usual sense. The longest-serving president in Liberian history was [[William Tubman]], serving from 1944 until his death in 1971. The shortest term was held by [[James Skivring Smith]], who was interim president for all of two months in 1871. However, the political process from Liberia's founding in 1847, despite [[corruption in Liberia|widespread corruption]], was very stable until the end of the First Republic in 1980.

This situation changed abruptly in 1980, with the revolt against the Americo-Liberians and their True Whig Party. Currently,{{when|date=December 2019}} no party has majority control of the legislature. 

{{Democracy Index rating|Liberia|hybrid regime|2022}}

==Political developments since 1980==
[[File:Executive Mansion Apr 09.JPG|thumb|300px|The [[Executive Mansion (Liberia)|Executive Mansion]] has been the home of Liberian Presidents since its construction in 1964. It has not been used since a fire in 2006.]]

Between 1980 and 2006, [[Liberia]] was governed by a series of military and transitional governments. The president of the last of these, [[Charles G. Taylor|Charles Taylor]], was forced to step down in 2003, and the [[United Nations]] installed a [[transitional government]]. Elections to select a government to replace the transitional government took place in October and November 2005. (''see [[2005 Liberian general election]]'').

In the 1980s, [[Samuel K. Doe]]'s government increasingly adopted an ethnic outlook as members of his [[Krahn]] ethnic group soon dominated political and military life in [[Liberia]]. This caused a heightened level of ethnic tension leading to frequent hostilities between the politically and militarily dominant Krahns and other ethnic groups in the country.

[[List of political parties in Liberia|Political parties]] remained banned until 1984. [[Liberia elections, 1985|Elections]] were held on 15 October 1985 in which Doe's [[National Democratic Party of Liberia]] (NDPL) was declared the winner. The elections were characterized by widespread fraud and rigging. The period after the elections saw increased human rights abuses, corruption, and ethnic tensions. The standard of living, which had been rising in the 1970s, declined drastically.

On 12 November 1985, former Army Commanding General [[Thomas Quiwonkpa]] invaded Liberia by way of neighboring [[Sierra Leone]] and almost succeeded in toppling the government of Samuel Doe. Members of the Krahn-dominated Armed Forces of Liberia repelled Quiwonkpa's attack and executed him in [[Monrovia, Liberia|Monrovia]].

On 24 December 1989, a small band of rebels led by Doe's former procurement chief, [[Charles G. Taylor|Charles Taylor]] invaded Liberia from [[Ivory Coast]]. Taylor and his [[National Patriotic Front of Liberia|National Patriotic Front]] rebels rapidly gained the support of Liberians because of the repressive nature of Samuel Doe and his government. Barely six months after the rebels first attacked, they had reached the outskirts of Monrovia.

The [[First Liberian Civil War|First]] and [[Second Liberian Civil War]], which was one of Africa's bloodiest, claimed the lives of more than 200,000 Liberians and further displaced a million others into refugee camps in neighboring countries.

The [[Economic Community of West African States]] (ECOWAS) intervened and succeeded in preventing Charles Taylor from capturing Monrovia. [[Prince Johnson]] who had been a member of Taylor's [[National Patriotic Front of Liberia]] (NPFL) but broke away because of policy differences, formed the [[Independent National Patriotic Front of Liberia]] (INPFL). Johnson's forces captured and killed Doe on 9 September 1990.<ref name=Junger2003>{{cite magazine|last=Junger|first=Sebastian|title=Liberia's Savage Harvest|magazine=Vanity Fair|volume=9|issue=518|pages=276–286|date=October 2003|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2003/10/liberia200310}}</ref>

An Interim Government of National Unity (IGNU) was formed in [[The Gambia|Gambia]] under the auspices of ECOWAS in October 1990 and Dr. [[Amos Sawyer]] became president. Taylor refused to work with the interim government and continued war.

By 1992, several warring factions had emerged in the Liberian civil war, all of which were absorbed in the new transitional government. After several peace accords and declining military power, Taylor finally agreed to the formation of a five-man transitional government.

After considerable progress in negotiations conducted by the [[United States]], [[United Nations]], [[Organization of African Unity]], and the Economic Community of West African States, disarmament and demobilization of warring factions were hastily carried out and [[Liberia elections, 1997|special elections]] were held on 19 July 1997 with Charles Taylor and his [[National Patriotic Party]] emerging victorious. Taylor won the election by a large majority, primarily because Liberians feared a return to war had Taylor lost.

Unrest continued, and by 2003, two rebel groups were challenging Taylor's control of the country. In August 2003, Taylor resigned and fled the country and vice-president [[Moses Blah]] became acting president. On 18 August 2003, the warring parties signed the [[Accra Comprehensive Peace Agreement]] which marked the political end of the conflict.

The international community again intervened and helped set up a transitional government (National Transitional Government of Liberia) which was led by [[Gyude Bryant]] until the [[Liberian general election, 2005|Liberian general election of 2005]].

For more than a year, over 9,000 census-takers combed the densely forested nation mapping every structure. For three days starting 21 March 2008, they revisited each dwelling and counted the inhabitants.[https://web.archive.org/web/20080325002751/http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/africa/03/20/Liberia.census.ap/index.html]

In November 2011, President [[Ellen Johnson Sirleaf|Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf]] was [[2011 Liberian general election|re-elected]] for a second six-year term.<ref>{{cite news |title=Sirleaf seen winning Liberia run-off vote |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-liberia-election-preview-idUSTRE7A62BD20111107 |work=Reuters |date=7 November 2011 |language=en}}</ref> 
Following the [[2017 Liberian general election]], former professional [[Forward (association football)#Striker|football striker]] [[George Weah]], considered one of the greatest African players of all time,<ref name="journey">{{cite news |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.co.za/2018/01/23/from-football-king-to-liberian-president-george-weahs-journey_a_23340918/ |title=From Football King To Liberian President – George Weah's Journey |work=Huffington Post |author1=Nkosinathi Shazi |date=January 23, 2018 |access-date=October 3, 2018 |archive-date=November 16, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181116174121/https://www.huffingtonpost.co.za/2018/01/23/from-football-king-to-liberian-president-george-weahs-journey_a_23340918/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Top 10 Greatest African Strikers |url=http://www.joburgpost.co.za/2017/06/06/top-10-greatest-african-strikers/ |access-date=August 27, 2018 |work=Johannesburg Post |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190220025546/http://www.joburgpost.co.za/2017/06/06/top-10-greatest-african-strikers/ |archive-date=February 20, 2019 |url-status=dead }}</ref> was sworn in as president on January 22, 2018, becoming the fourth youngest serving president in Africa.<ref name="Listwand">{{cite news|title=Top 10 youngest serving presidents in Africa, 2018|url=https://listwand.com/2018/01/top-10-youngest-presidents-in-africa-updated/|agency=Listwand|date=October 3, 2018|access-date=October 26, 2019|archive-date=October 3, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181003125007/https://listwand.com/2018/01/top-10-youngest-presidents-in-africa-updated/|url-status=dead}}</ref> The inauguration marked Liberia's first fully democratic transition in 74 years.<ref name="BBC News">{{cite news|title=George Weah sworn in as Liberia's president|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-42773165|agency=BBC|date=March 22, 2018}}</ref> Weah cited fighting corruption, reforming the economy, combating illiteracy, and improving life conditions as the main targets of his presidency.<ref name="BBC News"/> However, opposition leader [[Joseph Boakai]] defeated George Weah in the tightly contested [[2023 Liberian general election|2023 presidential election]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Liberia's George Weah concedes presidential election defeat to Joseph Boakai |url=https://www.france24.com/en/africa/20231118-liberia-s-george-weah-concedes-presidential-election-ahead-of-final-result |work=France 24 |date=18 November 2023 |language=en}}</ref> On 22 January 2024, Joseph Boakai was sworn in as Liberia’s new  president.<ref>{{cite news |title=Boakai sworn in as new Liberia president after victory over Weah |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/1/22/boakai-sworn-in-as-new-liberia-president-after-victory-over-weah |work=Al Jazeera |language=en}}</ref>

==Executive branch==
{{office-table}}
|[[President of Liberia|President]]
|[[Joseph Boakai]]
|[[Unity Party (Liberia)|Unity Party]]
|22 January 2024
|-
|[[Vice President of Liberia|Vice President]]
|[[Jeremiah Koung]]
|[[Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction]]
|22 January 2024
|}
The president is elected by popular vote for a six-year term (renewable). The [[Cabinet of Liberia|cabinet]] is appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate.

==Legislative branch==

[[File:Liberian Capitol Building.jpg|thumb|[[Legislature of Liberia]].]]
Liberia has a bicameral [[Legislature of Liberia|Legislature]] that consists of the [[Senate of Liberia|Senate]] (30 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve nine-year terms) and the [[House of Representatives of Liberia|House of Representatives]] (73 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)

==Political parties and elections==
{{main|List of political parties in Liberia|Elections in Liberia}}
===Presidential elections===
{{main|2017 Liberian general election}}
{{#section-h:2017 Liberian general election|President}}
===House of Representatives elections===
{{main|2017 Liberian general election}}
{{#section-h:2017 Liberian general election|House of Representatives}}
===Senate elections===
{{main|2014 Liberian Senate election}}
{{#section-h:2014 Liberian Senate election|Results}}
==Judicial branch==
There is a [[Supreme Court of Liberia|Supreme Court]], criminal courts, and appeals court and magistrate courts in the counties. There also are traditional courts and lay courts in the counties. [[Trial by ordeal]] is practiced in various parts of Liberia.

==Administrative divisions==
{{Further|Administrative divisions of Liberia}}

The basic unit of local government is the town chief. There are clan chiefs, paramount chiefs, and district commissioners. The counties are governed by superintendents appointed by the President. There are [[Counties of Liberia|fifteen counties]] in Liberia.

{| class="wikitable sortable"
!align="left"|#
!align="left"|County
!Capital
!Established
!Area (km<sup>2</sup>)
!Population <br> (2008 Census)
|-
|align="left"|1
|align="left"| {{flagicon image|Flag of Bomi County.svg}} [[Bomi County|Bomi]]
|align="center"|[[Tubmanburg]]
|align="center"|1984
|align="center"|1,932
|align="center"|84,119
|-
|align="left"|2
|align="left"| {{flagicon image|Flag of Bong County.svg}} [[Bong County|Bong]]
|align="center"|[[Gbarnga]]
|align="center"|1964
|align="center"|8,754
|align="center"|333,481
|-
|align="left"|3
|align="left"| {{flagicon image|Flag of Gbarpolu County.svg}} [[Gbarpolu County|Gbarpolu]]
|align="center"|[[Bopulu]]
|align="center"|2001
|align="center"|9,953
|align="center"|83,388
|-
|align="left"|4
|align="left"| {{flagicon image|Flag of Grand Bassa County.svg}} [[Grand Bassa County|Grand Bassa]]
|align="center"|[[Buchanan, Liberia|Buchanan]]
|align="center"|1847
|align="center"|7,814
|align="center"|221,693
|-
|align="left"|5
|align="left"| {{flagicon image|Flag of Grand Cape Mount County.svg}} [[Grand Cape Mount County|Grand Cape Mount]]
|align="center"|[[Robertsport]]
|align="center"|1856
|align="center"|4,781
|align="center"|127,076
|-
|align="left"|6
|align="left"| {{flagicon image|Flag of Grand Gedeh County.svg}} [[Grand Gedeh County|Grand Gedeh]]
|align="center"|[[Zwedru]]
|align="center"|1964
|align="center"|10,855
|align="center"|125,258
|-
|align="left"|7
|align="left"| {{flagicon image|Flag of Grand Kru County.svg}} [[Grand Kru County|Grand Kru]]
|align="center"|[[Barclayville]]
|align="center"|1984
|align="center"|3,895
|align="center"|57,913
|-
|align="left"|8
|align="left"| {{flagicon image|Flag of Lofa County.svg}} [[Lofa County|Lofa]]
|align="center"|[[Voinjama]]
|align="center"|1964
|align="center"|9,982
|align="center"|276,863
|-
|align="left"|9
|align="left"| {{flagicon image|Flag of Margibi County.svg}} [[Margibi County|Margibi]]
|align="center"|[[Kakata]]
|align="center"|1985
|align="center"|2,691
|align="center"|209,923
|-
|align="left"|10
|align="left"| {{flagicon image|Flag of Maryland County.svg}} [[Maryland County|Maryland]]
|align="center"|[[Harper, Liberia|Harper]]
|align="center"|1857
|align="center"|2,297
|align="center"|135,938
|-
|align="left"|11
|align="left"| {{flagicon image|Flag of Montserrado County.svg}} [[Montserrado County|Montserrado]]
|align="center"|[[Bensonville]]
|align="center"|1847
|align="center"|1,880
|align="center"|1,118,241
|-
|align="left"|12
|align="left"| {{flagicon image|Flag of Nimba County.svg}} [[Nimba County|Nimba]]
|align="center"|[[Sanniquellie]]
|align="center"|1964
|align="center"|11,551
|align="center"|462,026
|-
|align="left"|13
|align="left"| {{flagicon image|Flag of Rivercess County.svg}} [[Rivercess County|Rivercess]]
|align="center"|[[River Cess|Rivercess]]
|align="center"|1985
|align="center"|5,564
|align="center"|71,509
|-
|align="left"|14
|align="left"| {{flagicon image|Flag of River Gee County.svg}} [[River Gee County|River Gee]]
|align="center"|[[Fish Town]]
|align="center"|2000
|align="center"|5,113
|align="center"|66,789
|-
|align="left"|15
|align="left"| {{flagicon image|Flag of Sinoe County.svg}} [[Sinoe County|Sinoe]]
|align="center"|[[Greenville, Liberia|Greenville]]
|align="center"|1847
|align="center"|9,764
|align="center"|102,391
|-
|}

==International organization participation==
[[African, Caribbean, and Pacific Group of States|ACP]], 
[[African Development Bank|AfDB]], 
[[Customs Cooperation Council|CCC]], 
[[Economic Commission for Africa|ECA]], 
[[Economic Community of West African States|ECOWAS]], 
[[Food and Agriculture Organization|FAO]], 
[[Group of 77|G-77]], 
[[International Atomic Energy Agency|IAEA]], 
[[International Bank for Reconstruction and Development|IBRD]], 
[[International Civil Aviation Organization|ICAO]], 
[[International Confederation of Free Trade Unions|ICFTU]], 
[[International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement|ICRM]], 
[[International Development Association|IDA]], 
[[International Fund for Agricultural Development|IFAD]], 
[[International Finance Corporation|IFC]], 
[[International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies|IFRCS]], 
[[International Labour Organization|ILO]], 
[[International Monetary Fund|IMF]], 
[[International Maritime Organization|IMO]], 
[[International Mobile Satellite Organization|Inmarsat]], 
[[International Telecommunications Satellite Organization|Intelsat]]&nbsp;(nonsignatory user), 
[[International Criminal Police Organization|Interpol]], 
[[International Olympic Committee|IOC]], 
[[International Organization for Migration|IOM]], 
[[International Telecommunication Union|ITU]], 
[[Non-Aligned Movement|NAM]], 
[[Organization of African Unity|OAU]], 
[[Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons|OPCW]], 
[[United Nations|UN]], 
[[United Nations Conference on Trade and Development|UNCTAD]], 
[[United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization|UNESCO]], 
[[United Nations Industrial Development Organization|UNIDO]], 
[[Universal Postal Union|UPU]], 
[[World Confederation of Labour|WCL]], 
[[World Federation of Trade Unions|WFTU]], 
[[World Health Organization|WHO]], 
[[World Intellectual Property Organization|WIPO]], 
[[World Meteorological Organization|WMO]]

== See also ==
* [[List of government ministries of Liberia]]
* [[List of Liberian politicians]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
*Clower, Robert W. "Growth without development. An economic survey of Liberia." (1966).
*Ellis, Stephen. The Mask of Anarchy updated edition: The destruction of Liberia and the religious dimension of an African civil war. NYU Press, 2007.
*Fraenkel, Merran. Tribe and class in Monrovia. publ. for the International African Institute by the Oxford Univ. Press, 1970. 
*Gifford, Paul. Christianity and politics in Doe's Liberia. Vol. 2. Cambridge University Press, 2002.
*SS Hlophe, Class, ethnicity and politics in Liberia: a class analysis of power struggles in the Tubman and Tolbert administrations from 1944-1975 - 1979 - [[University Press of America]]
*[[International Crisis Group]], Liberia reports
*Levitt, Jeremy Isaac. "The evolution of deadly conflict in Liberia: From paternaltarianism to state collapse." PhD diss., University of Cambridge, 2002. Book form 2005.
*Martin Lowenkopf, Politics in Liberia: The Conservative Road to Development, 1976.
*[[Amos Sawyer]], The emergence of autocracy in Liberia: Tragedy and challenge. ICS Press, 1992.
*[[Amos Sawyer]], Effective immediately, dictatorship in Liberia, 1980-1986: a personal perspective. No. 5. Liberia Working Group, 1987.
*[[Amos Sawyer]], Beyond Plunder: Toward Democratic Governance in Liberia
*William Reno, Reinvention of an African Patrimonial State: Charles Taylor's Liberia, Third World Quarterly, Vol. 16, No. 1 (Mar. 1995), pp.&nbsp;109–120 Published by Taylor & Francis, Ltd.
*

==External links==
*http://www.traveldocs.com/lr/history.htm

{{Liberian elections}}
{{Liberia topics}}
{{Africa in topic|Politics of}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Politics Of Liberia}}
[[Category:Politics of Liberia| ]]