Andorra has a parliamentary system, with a prime minister elected by and accountable to the parliament. The prime minister is usually the head of the largest party in the parliament, and their legitimacy rests largely on the conduct of parliamentary elections, which have historically been competitive and credible. Antoni Martí, head of the Democrats for Andorra (DA), was reelected as prime minister following that party’s victory in the 2015 legislative elections.

Two unelected “co-princes,” the French president and the bishop of La Seu d’Urgell, Spain, serve jointly as ceremonial heads of state.

Popular elections are held every four years for the 28-member Consell General. The most recent elections occurred in March 2015. The DA won 15 seats, followed by the Liberal Party of Andorra (PLA) with 8, an independent coalition with 3, and the Social Democracy and Progress party (SDP) with 2. International observers deemed the polls competitive, credible, and generally well administered.

The Electoral Law, which was last changed in 2014 to introduce regulations on campaign finance, provides a sound framework for free and fair elections. The Electoral Board supervises elections impartially.

Political parties may form and operate freely, and there are a number of active parties in Andorra.

There are no restrictions preventing the opposition from increasing its support through elections. Multiple opposition parties are currently represented in the Consell General.

There are no powerful groups without democratic legitimacy that influence or limit the people’s political choices.

More than 50 percent of the population consists of noncitizens who do not have the right to vote. Under Andorra’s restrictive naturalization criteria, one must marry a resident Andorran or live in the country for more than 20 years to qualify for citizenship. Prospective citizens are also required to learn Catalan, the national language.

Women are active in politics, and hold 36 percent of seats in the legislature.

The elected government and parliament exercise their powers without undue restraints from nonelected or nonstate actors, and freely determine the policies of the government.

Government corruption is not viewed as a pressing issue in Andorra. Significant progress was made to address concerns raised in a 2011 report by the Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) about Andorra’s laws concerning bribery and campaign finance. In a 2017 progress report, GRECO notes that eighteen of the twenty recommendations have now been satisfactorily implemented.

Andorra continued to make efforts to address longstanding concerns about abuse of its banking system in 2017. In July, the government approved a law to outlaw tax evasion, making this practice punishable by prison sentences of between three months and three years. The new law will enter into force in January 2018, together with a law renouncing banking secrecy, which was passed in December 2016.

No law exists to provide public access to government information. However, the government weekly publishes its main actions in a bulletin, which is accessible online or by e-mail.

There a number of daily and weekly newspapers, and one Andorran television station, operated by the public broadcaster Ràdio i Televisió d’Andorra. Business, political, and religious interests heavily influence media coverage. Reporting on the activities of Andorra’s banks is particularly difficult.

Freedom of religion is generally respected, but the Catholic Church enjoys a privileged position that allows it to draw on some state support, and to bypass some bureaucratic processes that other faiths must adhere to.

Despite years of negotiations between the Muslim community and the government, there is no proper mosque for the country’s roughly 1,300 Muslims. The government has organized meetings with Jewish and Muslim communities to talk about the possible construction of a special cemetery where these groups may engage in burials according to their customs and beliefs, but progress toward establishing one has stalled.

There are no restrictions on academic freedom, and the educational system is free from indoctrination.

Freedom of speech is respected across the country, and there are no restrictions on internet access or online communications.

Andorran law provides for freedom of assembly, and the government respects this right in practice.

Various nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) are active in the country, and can function without restrictions. The groups were able to publish their findings on human rights cases, and experienced cooperation from the government.

While the government recognizes that both workers and employers have the right to defend their interests, the right to strike is not legally guaranteed. There are also no laws in place to penalize antiunion discrimination or regulate collective bargaining, although a 2009 law guarantees unions the right to operate.

The judiciary is impartial and independent, and the government generally respects the independence of the judiciary.

Defendants enjoy the presumption of innocence and the right to a fair trial, and due process is generally upheld in the criminal justice system. The constitution prohibits arbitrary arrest and imprisonment, but police can detain suspects for up to 48 hours without charge

Andorra is free from war and insurgencies, and law enforcement agents are not known to use excessive force against civilians.

Same-sex marriage is legal in Andorra, and discrimination against women is illegal. In June 2017, the government approved a draft law that would protect the rights of people with disabilities and provide assistance to victims of racism or discrimination. However, the country is not fully compliant with international standards on accessibility for disabled people and ensuring their entry into the workforce. The law does not require equal pay for equal work, and the Department of Statistics has estimated that women earned 24 percent less than men for comparable work.

There are no restrictions on the freedom of movement, and people are generally free to choose their place of employment, residence, and education.

Citizens enjoy the right to own property. Legislation passed in 2012 fully opened up the economy to foreign investors as well, allowing noncitizens to own up to 100 percent of any commercial entity.

Score Change: The score improved from 3 to 4 due to efforts to eliminate restrictions on individuals’ rights to own a business or property.

Domestic violence and sexual exploitation are prohibited by law and are punishable with prison sentences. The government pursues domestic violence cases and provides resources for victims. Nevertheless, domestic violence remains a problem, and sometimes involves violence against children.

Andorran laws provide protections for most workers, including migrant workers. However, temporary workers are in a precarious position, as they must leave the country when their employment contract expires, leaving them vulnerable to potential abuse by employers. The Labour Inspections Office successfully addresses cases of violations of workers’ rights.

There have been no confirmed reports of human trafficking occurring in Andorra in the past year.