since remained the guidelines for political action and the standard against which public policies are measured. The peace attained in 1992 has proved durable, even though challenges persist which the government must resolve in order to further secure peace and achieve genuine political and social reconciliation. 202. Persistent mutual distrust between the two main former protagonists – the Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (FRELIMO) and the National Resistance of Mozambique (RENAMO) – remains a challenge. Rising crime rates, land disputes, free circulation of small arms, incomplete demobilisation, and aggravating economic and social exclusion all threaten security and peace. Nevertheless, social rehabilitation appears to have progressed rather well in most of the country. 203. Mozambique’s government system is a multiparty democracy based on the supremacy of the Constitution, the rule of law, the guarantee of fundamental human rights and popular participation through periodic, competitive elections. The government is organised on the principle of separation of powers, with the Executive being the more dominant arm of government, which is consistent with Lusophone traditions. The Constitutional Council is empowered to decide on the conformity of government actions with the Constitution, and thereby safeguards constitutional democracy against threats of abuse of executive power. 204. The electoral system provides guarantees for periodic, multiparty, competitive elections for electing members of the Assembly of the Republic (the Parliament of Mozambique) based on proportional representation, while the President is elected by a simple majority of votes. Although there are over 50 political parties, the political space is dominated by only two political parties – FRELIMO and RENAMO – whose mutual antagonism and manoeuvres shape the dynamics of politics in Mozambique. 205. The National Electoral Commission (CNE) is constituted on a partisan basis in the hope that the inclusion of representatives of political parties will enhance the transparency of its operations and make election results more acceptable. Unfortunately, this has not stopped elections being fraught with allegations of procedural and substantive irregularities. There is also genuine concern that Mozambicans’ interest in elections is waning, as seen in the low voter turnouts at recent elections. This trend should be reversed to promote democratic participation in governance. 206. The Constitution guarantees important civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights and the country is party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). Freedom of expression and freedom of association are among the most robust of civil rights in Mozambique. However, at almost 88 A P R M COU N T RY R EV IEW R EP ORT NO. 11