Cabo Verde is an Estado de Direito Democrático with popular sovereignty, separation and interdependence of powers, independent courts and separation between religion and the State. Portuguese is the official language and Cabo-verdiano is the national language. The capital is Praia on Santiago. The State exercises authority over the islands, internal and archipelagic waters, the territorial sea, the exclusive economic zone and the continental shelf, including national rights over natural resources. Cabo Verde has no autonomous island administration; the islands are organized through national administration and municipal government. The President of the Republic is the head of State and constitutional guardian. The President appoints the Prime Minister after consulting political forces and taking the legislative election result into account, appoints the Government on the Prime Minister's proposal, promulgates laws and may veto them within constitutional limits. The President may dissolve the Assembleia Nacional only under the conditions set by the Constitution. The Assembleia Nacional is a unicameral parliament. It adopts laws and the annual State Budget, approves taxes and treaties, examines the Government's programme, questions the Government, receives petitions and exercises parliamentary oversight. Its public sessions, agendas and government questions provide formal channels for public scrutiny. The Government is led by the Prime Minister and may include deputy prime ministers, ministers and Secretários de Estado. The Conselho de Ministros coordinates government policy, while ministries and other public bodies carry out central and indirect administration. Cabo Verde has 22 concelhos, each corresponding to a municipality. Freguesias and smaller places such as bairros, aldeias and povoados provide further local organization. A municipality is governed by the Assembleia Municipal and the Câmara Municipal. The Assembleia Municipal deliberates and exercises local control; the Câmara Municipal, led by the Presidente da Câmara and vereadores, implements the municipal programme. Municipal responsibilities include local budgets, tariffs, staff, public services, building and land-use rules, infrastructure and certain protection and social measures. Municipal finances combine own revenue with legally established transfers and equalization, so local financial autonomy is legally limited. Municipalities publish records and provide petition and complaint channels. A municipal police force does not exist automatically; its creation and powers depend on law and a local decision. The Código de Procedimento Administrativo, established by Decreto-Legislativo 1/2023, applies to central, indirect and municipal administration. Public bodies must act lawfully, equally, impartially, proportionately and transparently, and must provide citizen-oriented service. They must give reasons for decisions and provide procedural information. The Portal Único and GOV.CV offer digital public services, while in-person procedures remain available. Decreto-Lei 36/2026 provides for electronic files, digital certificates, a digital wallet and interoperable data checks. With consent, an authority should not require data already held by another public authority, but digital services do not replace every identity check, original document or in-person procedure. Fees and processing times depend on the specific service and legal procedure; Cabo Verde has no single deadline for all administrative matters. The electronic Boletim Oficial is universally and freely accessible. The Assembleia Nacional authorizes the annual State Budget and the Government executes it through the Ministry of Finance and the Direção Nacional do Orçamento e Contabilidade Pública. Public financial management uses the escudo cabo-verdiano, written as ECV or CVE, the SIGOF system and electronic procurement. Revenue comes from taxes, fees, grants and borrowing. The 2026 budget is governed by Lei 69/X/2025 and its 2026 amendment by Lei 1/XI/2026. Budget figures are legal and planning amounts, not proof of final expenditure. Municipalities receive their own revenue and statutory transfers, which makes the division of responsibilities and funding relevant when a local service is delayed or unavailable. The Tribunal de Contas performs prior, concurrent and subsequent financial oversight. It examines legality, economy, efficiency and effectiveness, including the use of State funds, cooperation funds and public procurement. The Assembleia Nacional and public bodies also use reporting and accountability procedures. The Tribunal Constitucional independently reviews laws before or after promulgation, settles certain competence disputes and handles constitutional remedies such as amparo and habeas data. The Provedor de Justiça receives complaints about acts or failures of public authorities, investigates them and issues recommendations, but cannot replace an authority's decision. The Autoridade Reguladora para a Comunicação Social oversees print, radio, television and digital media. The courts are independent. The Supremo Tribunal de Justiça is the highest national court. Cabo Verde has two judicial districts, Barlavento and Sotavento, each with a Tribunal da Relação. Tribunais de Comarca hear first-instance cases, sometimes across municipal boundaries, while fiscal and customs courts and sentence-execution courts operate within the judicial districts. Court and legal-aid costs depend on the procedure and the person's circumstances. The Ministério Público, headed by the Procuradoria-Geral da República, protects democratic legality and conducts criminal prosecutions. The Polícia Judiciária investigates serious and complex crime under the functional direction of the Ministério Público, while registration, notarial and identification services belong to the justice administration. The Ministério da Administração Interna directs the Polícia Nacional, which protects democratic legality, prevents crime, maintains public order and protects rights and freedoms. The Polícia Judiciária has a separate specialized investigative role, and the Serviço de Informações da República performs State intelligence functions. The Forças Armadas are permanent, hierarchical, disciplined and politically neutral. They defend the State externally and may support exceptional measures, air and maritime surveillance, search and rescue, organized-crime responses and disaster protection. The Guarda Nacional performs land and amphibious duties and may support internal security under the law. The Guarda Costeira protects national authority and economic interests at sea, including the exclusive economic zone, and carries out patrol, control and search-and-rescue functions. Military service applies to Cabo-verdian citizens aged 18 to 35 under the applicable rules. The Serviço Nacional de Proteção Civil e Bombeiros coordinates national planning, prevention and response to major accidents and disasters and supervises firefighting. Serviços Municipais de Proteção Civil perform local functions. The emergency number for civil protection is 131. Constitutional rights include equality and freedoms of expression, information and the press. People may seek information about procedures, inspect records where the law permits, submit petitions or complaints, contact the Provedor de Justiça and use judicial or constitutional remedies. Public bodies, companies and individuals remain subject to the duties, taxes, fees and procedures that apply to their particular service or legal situation.
State in Cabo Verde
The State of Cabo Verde is a sovereign, unitary and democratic republic governed by the Constitution and the rule of law. National powers are exercised by the President, the Assembleia Nacional, the Government and the courts, while municipalities manage local matters. Public administration, taxation, justice, security and public services operate across an archipelagic territory of 10 islands and 22 municipalities.
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