The Council of Chiefs advises the president on issues concerning traditional matters and custom. The Olbiil Era Kelulau is the elected bicameral legislature and consists of a House of Delegates and a Senate. The House of Delegates has of one member from each of Palau's 16 states. The 14 senators represent districts apportioned according to population. The judicial branch of government consists of a Supreme Court, National Court, and a lower Court of Common Pleas.
All judges have life tenure.
There are 16 state governments within Palau, each with an elected governor and legislature. While calm in recent years, Palau was troubled by several instances of political violence in the 1980s. President Haruo Remeliik was assassinated in 1985. In 1987, a special assistant to President Salii was convicted of firing shots into the home of the speaker of the House of Delegates, Santos Olikong. Elections were last held in 1992 and are next scheduled for November 1996.