АҦСНЫ « AP‛SNY »
— Officially: Ареспублика Аҧсны « Arespublika Ap‛sny » or Аҧсны Аҳәынҭқарра « Ap‛sny Ahəynt‛qarra ».
— English: Abkhazia.
— Seat of government: Аҟəа « Aq’əa ».
— Status: Democratic, but questionable.
— Structure: The president is elected directly and heads the government. The legislature is elected in geographical constituencies; official parties can nominate candidates for at most a third.
— Chief governing party: Аҧсны Жәлар Ракзаара Афорум « Ap‛sny Žəlar Rakzaara Aforum ».
— Heads of government: Рауль Ҳаџьымба « Raulĵ Hažĵymba », president; Беслан Барцыц « Beslan Barcyc », prime minister.
— Other notable parties: Аҧсны Акзаара « Ap‛sny Akzaara »; Аҧсны Аекономика Арҿиара Апартиа « Ap‛sny Aekonomika Arηiara Apartia »; Аҧсны Акомунисттә Апартиа « Ap‛sny Akomunisttə Apartia »; Аҧсны Ажәлартә Апартиа « Ap‛sny Ažəlartə Apartia »; Аиҭаира « Ait‛aira ».
— Assessment: Seceded from საქართველო « Sak‛art‛velo » in 1992-3, without recognition. When elections for a post-secession president were held in 2004, government candidate Ҳаџьымба « Hažĵymba » was first declared the winner over opposition candidate Сергеи Багаҧшь « Sergei Bagap‛šĵ », and the decision was then reversed. Ҳаџьымба « Hažĵymba », prime minister (2003-4) at the time, had been supported by both president Владислав Арӡынба « Vladislav Arzynba » (1990-2005) and Владимир Путин « Vladimir Putin ». The legislature also accepted the victory of Багаҧшь « Bagap‛šĵ », but the ruling party attempted to thwart the result, scheduling a new election. Багаҧшь « Bagap‛šĵ » and Ҳаџьымба « Hažĵymba » then agreed to contest the new elections as a ticket, sealing Багаҧшь « Bagap‛šĵ »’s election. Contested control over territory with საქართველო « Sak‛art‛velo » in 2008, under partial protection of Россия « Rossija »; during this fighting, the last area within the recognized boundaries, Кәыдырҭа « Kəydyrt‛a », was retaken by Аҧсны « Ap‛sny ». Elections in 2009 saw Багаҧшь « Bagap‛šĵ » reelected; he died in office in 2011 and was replaced by then-vice president Алықьсандр Анқәаб « Alyqĵsandr Anqəab », who subsequently was elected that year. Protests in 2014 led by Ҳаџьымба « Hažĵymba » forced Анқәаб « Anqəab » from office; Ҳаџьымба « Hažĵymba » was the official winner of the subsequent presidential election. Parliamentary elections were held in 2017.
— FH: 5-5, partly free.
— Updated: 2017 March 23.
 

O.T. FORD