Papua New Guinea operates as a Westminster-style parliamentary democracy within the Commonwealth realm, with the British monarch serving as head of state through a governor-general who uniquely gains appointment via parliamentary election rather than direct royal selection. The prime minister leads the government from Port Moresby, chosen by the 111-member National Parliament following general elections held every five years. The legislature comprises 89 single-member constituencies and 22 provincial representatives who simultaneously serve as regional governors, reflecting the nation’s decentralized structure across 22 province-level divisions, including the autonomous Bougainville region. A constitutional judiciary operates through tiered courts, while coalition politics and frequent party-switching characterize the volatile political landscape that has produced numerous government changes since independence in 1975. Freedom House rates the country “partly free” due to electoral irregularities and media constraints affecting press freedom.