Suriname is a republic in which the presidency sits at the center of national executive authority. Jennifer Geerlings-Simons serves as President of Suriname, combining the roles of head of state and head of government under the country's constitutional framework.
Suriname is a parliamentary republic with a strong executive presidency selected through the National Assembly rather than by a separate nationwide presidential vote. The president is both head of state and head of government, appoints the cabinet, and remains politically dependent on the parliamentary majority under the constitutional system.
Legislative authority is exercised through a unicameral national parliament or assembly. It passes legislation, approves the budget, and performs the oversight and appointment functions assigned to it by the constitution. The judiciary is formally separate from the political branches, with the highest courts responsible for interpreting law and, where the constitutional system provides for it, reviewing constitutional questions.
Suriname is a unitary state, meaning sovereign authority is principally vested in national institutions, although local and regional governments exercise powers assigned by law. The constitution defines the relationship among the executive, legislature, judiciary, and subnational administration. Political authority is exercised through the constitutional institutions described above, with elections, parliamentary confidence, or other constitutional procedures determining who holds office.
