Suffrage is universal for adults over age 20, and balloting is secret. Other parties operate freely. Citizens regularly vote on initiatives and referenda. Since women gained the right to vote, a growing number have been active in politics. One woman, the Foreign Minister, is among the five members of the Cabinet, and one is a member of Parliament.
Women serve on the executive committees of the major parties.
The sole local human rights organization, Justitia Et Pax, is an informal group of about 10 persons who monitor prison conditions and assist foreign workers with immigration matters. No requests were received from any source for investigation of human rights violations. The law prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, language, or social status, and the authorities respect these provisions. The law prohibits all forms of domestic violence, and the Government vigorously prosecutes those who violate the law. According to police statistics, bodily injuries were inflicted on four women by their partners in the first half of 1997.