Botswana is a parliamentary republic where the president serves as both head of state and head of government, indirectly elected by the National Assembly for five-year terms limited to 10 years total. The October 2024 elections marked a historic political transition, with the opposition Umbrella for Democratic Change winning 36 seats and ending the Botswana Democratic Party's nearly 60-year dominance. The country maintains a dual legal system combining Roman Dutch law with customary law, with the Ntlo ya Dikgosi serving as an advisory body on tribal matters.