The politics of the Bahamas takes place within a framework of parliamentary democracy, with a Prime Minister as the head of government. The Bahamas is an independent country and - as a former British colony - a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. Political and legal traditions closely follow those of the United Kingdom. Queen Elizabeth II is the head of state, but executive power is exercised by the cabinet. Legislative power is vested in the two chambers of parliament. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature and jurisprudence is based on English common law. The multi-party system is dominated by the Progressive Liberal Party and the Free National Movement. The constitution protects freedom of speech, press, worship, movement, and association.

In the first half of the 20th century, the Bahamas was largely controlled by a group of influential white merchants known as the "Bay Street Boys", who dominated both the economy and the legislature. Executive power rested with the British governor-in-council.

The Bahamas ⁱ/bəˈhɑːməz/, officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is a country consisting of more than 3,000 islands, cays, and islets. It is located in the Atlantic Ocean north of Cuba and Hispaniola (Dominican Republic and Haiti), northwest of the Turks and Caicos Islands, and southeast of the United States (nearest to the state of Florida). Its land area is 13,939 km² (5,382 sq mi), with a population of 353,658. Its capital is Nassau. Geographically, the Bahamas lie in the same island chain as Cuba, Hispaniola and the Turks and Caicos Islands; the designation of Bahamas refers normally to the Commonwealth and not the geographic chain.

Originally inhabited by the Lucayans, a branch of the Arawakan-speaking Taino people, the Bahamas were the site of Columbus' first landfall in the New World in 1492. Although the Spanish never colonized the Bahamas, they shipped the native Lucayans to slavery in Hispaniola. The islands were mostly deserted from 1513 to 1648, when English colonists from Bermuda settled on the island of Eleuthera.

Zhivargo Laing is a Bahamian politician, cabinet member and member of the Bahamas House of Assembly for the Marco City Constituency. He was sworn in as the Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance and the repesentative for the Marco City constituency on May 2, 2007.

As the seventh child of hotel worker Cedric Laing and former senator Naomi Seymour, he was born on September 7, 1967 and grew up on Grand Bahama. He attended Lewis Yard Primary School and Hawksbill High School before moving to Nassau. He is married to Zsa Zsa LaRoda. Together, they have two children. He published three books: “College, Career and Money – A Guide for Teens and Young Adults”, “A Trust Out of this World” and “Who Moved My Conch – Understanding How Free Trade will affect the Bahamian Economy”. He also writes a weekly column "Straight Up Talk".

After moving to Nassau, he attended the College of the Bahamas (COB). Later, he was enrolled at the University of Western Ontario, Canada, graduating with a Bachelor of Art's Degree in Agro-economics. Laing went on to pursue graduate courses at George Washington University, concentrating on business administration.

Dr. Myles Munroe (born (1954-04-20)April 20, 1954) is the president and founder of the Bahamas Faith Ministries International (BFMI)and Myles Munroe International (MMI), a Christian growth and resource center that includes leadership training institutes, a missions agency, a publishing company, a television network, radio and Web communications, and a church community. He is chief executive officer and chairman of the board of the International Third World Leaders Association and president of the International Leadership Training Institute. He is the author of 23 books and is a motivational speaker.

Myles Munroe was born in Nassau, Bahamas in 1954 and has been a lifetime resident of the Bahamas. He has degrees in fine arts, education and theology from Oral Roberts University (1978), a Master’s degree in administration from the University of Tulsa (1980), and he has been awarded a number of honorary doctoral degrees. He has also served as an adjunct professor of the Graduate School of Theology at Oral Roberts University. His wife, Ruth Munroe is copastor with him at BFMI. He has a son Chairo (Myles Jr.) and daughter Charisa and says that his family is his greatest responsibility and his marriage his most sacred trust.

Sir Arthur Alexander Foulkes, GCMG (born 11 May 1928) is the Governor-General of the Bahamas.

Foulkes was elected to the House of Assembly in 1967 and served in the government of Lynden Pindling as Minister of Communications and Minister of Tourism. In 1971 he was a founder of the Free National Movement, and he was appointed to the Senate in 1972 and 1977 before returning to the House of Assembly in 1982. He was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George in 2001. He was promoted to Knight Grand Cross in 2010.

Arthur Foulkes, a native of the Bahamas, was born on the island Inagua in Matthew Town on 11 May 1928. His parents were Dr William A. Foulkes and Mrs. Julie Foulkes nee Maisonneuve.

He started his working life as a newspaper linotype operator, first at The Nassau Guardian then at The Tribune. He became a reporter for the Tribune's editor Sir Etienne Dupuch, rising to become News Editor of The Tribune.

From 1962-1967, Sir Arthur was founding editor of Bahamian Times, the official paper of the Progressive Liberal Party, backing the campaign for majority rule, and later a columnist for the Guardian and the Tribune.