Simone Lawson
A parliamentary constitutional monarchy is a form of government where a king or queen's power is controlled by laws and principles outlined in a constitution. This differs from an absolute monarchy, where a monarch holds all the power and is the sole decision-maker. In a constitutional monarchy, the monarch is typically a symbolic and ceremonial head of state, with their powers limited by a constitution, which also places legislative power in a separate body. The powers held by monarchs in constitutional monarchies vary between countries, with some retaining more significant authority than others. This form of government is prevalent in Western Europe, with the United Kingdom, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Norway, Denmark, Luxembourg, Monaco, Liechtenstein, and Sweden being examples. The two most populous constitutional monarchies are in Asia: Japan and Thailand.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of Monarchy | Limited |
| Other Names | Parliamentary monarchy, democratic monarchy |
| Power of the Monarch | Bound by a constitution |
| Nature of the Government | Hereditary symbolic head of state |
| Role of the Monarch | Representative and civic roles |
| Executive Power | No |
| Policy-making Power | No |
| Examples | United Kingdom, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Norway, Denmark, Luxembourg, Monaco, Liechtenstein, Sweden, Japan, Thailand |
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What You'll Learn
Constitutional monarchies are limited monarchies
Constitutional monarchy, also known as limited monarchy, parliamentary monarchy, or democratic monarchy, is a form of monarchy in which the monarch's powers are restricted by a constitution and other laws. The monarch is not the sole decision-maker and shares power with a democratically elected body, such as a parliament or a cabinet. In a constitutional monarchy, the monarch is typically a symbolic or titular head of state, performing ceremonial and representative duties, while the actual power lies with the elected representatives.
Constitutional monarchies differ from absolute monarchies, where the monarch holds supreme authority and is not bound by any legal restrictions. In a constitutional monarchy, the monarch's powers are limited and defined by a constitution, which outlines the distribution of powers and responsibilities. The constitution ensures that the monarch's authority is exercised within a legal framework and is subject to checks and balances.
The powers held by monarchs in constitutional monarchies can vary across different countries. For example, in some countries, the monarch may have residual powers that can be used in specific circumstances, such as in times of constitutional crisis. In other cases, the monarch may have a more ceremonial role, with little to no direct involvement in governance. The monarch's role is often influenced by traditions and conventions, which guide their actions and interactions with other political institutions.
One example of a constitutional monarchy is the United Kingdom, where the monarch, currently King Charles III, holds significant "reserve" or "prerogative" powers. These powers are typically used in exceptional circumstances, such as in the case of the 1975 Australian constitutional crisis, where the Governor-General, representing the Monarch, dismissed the Australian Prime Minister, Gough Whitlam. While such powers exist, the day-to-day governance is handled by the Prime Minister and the Cabinet, who are accountable to the elected Parliament.
Constitutional monarchies have evolved over time, with many modern monarchies adopting this form of government to balance tradition and democracy. The model provides stability and continuity through the monarch's role while ensuring that power is vested in elected representatives, reflecting the will of the people.
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The monarch has no executive or policy-making power
A constitutional monarchy, also known as a limited monarchy, parliamentary monarchy, or democratic monarchy, is a form of monarchy in which the monarch's powers are restricted by a constitution. The monarch in a constitutional monarchy is not an absolute ruler and does not have executive or policy-making power. Instead, they serve as a symbolic and ceremonial head of state, performing mainly representative and civic roles.
In a constitutional monarchy, the power to make and pass laws resides with an elected parliament, not the monarch. The monarch's role is limited to providing constitutional continuity and embodying the national character. While the monarch may retain some residual powers, they are bound by convention to act on the advice of the cabinet or parliament. For example, in the United Kingdom, the monarch is the nominal chief executive but exercises power only under certain very limited circumstances, such as the royal prerogative, sovereign immunity, and immunity from some taxation.
The distinction between executive and ceremonial monarchies is important. In executive monarchies, the monarch wields significant, though not absolute, power and is a powerful political and social institution. On the other hand, in ceremonial monarchies, the monarch holds little to no actual power or direct political influence, although they may still have social and cultural influence.
The evolution of constitutional monarchies can be traced back to the democratic thoughts of Locke and Montesquieu, which led to the emergence of republics and constitutional monarchies in the 18th century. Most absolute monarchies were replaced by constitutional monarchies in the 20th century, with the British model of constitutional monarchy being widely adopted after the Second World War.
While the monarch in a constitutional monarchy does not exercise executive or policy-making power, they may retain certain reserve or prerogative powers to be used in times of extreme emergency or constitutional crises. For example, in Commonwealth realms, the monarch or their representative, the Governor-General, can wield significant powers to uphold parliamentary government. However, these powers are rarely used and are subject to constitutional limitations.
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The monarch's power is controlled by a set of laws
A constitutional monarchy is a form of government where the monarch's power is controlled by a set of laws and principles outlined in a constitution. This differs from an absolute monarchy, where the monarch is the sole decision-maker and has unlimited power. In a constitutional monarchy, the monarch's role is limited to a symbolic and representative head of state, and they do not hold executive or policy-making power.
The powers of a monarch in a constitutional monarchy can vary between countries. For example, in Norway, the King chairs special meetings of the cabinet, while in Denmark and Belgium, the monarch formally appoints a representative to preside over the formation of a coalition government after a parliamentary election. In most cases, the monarch is the nominal chief executive but is bound by convention to act on the advice of the cabinet.
The legislative power in a constitutional monarchy is typically vested in the parliament, which is composed predominantly of elected members. However, the parliament's power to make laws is subject to the restrictions outlined in the constitution. In the case of the British Parliament, it claims parliamentary sovereignty as there are no explicit restrictions on the laws it can pass.
The monarch's power in a constitutional monarchy is also limited by certain factors, such as royal prerogative, sovereign immunity, and immunity from taxation or property restrictions. These factors allow the monarch to exercise limited power under specific circumstances and protect them from legal wrongdoings.
Overall, the monarch's power in a constitutional monarchy is controlled and limited by a set of laws and principles outlined in the constitution, ensuring that their role is primarily symbolic and representative rather than executive.
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The monarch's power is limited by the constitution
A constitutional monarchy is a form of government where the monarch's power is limited by a constitution and they are not the sole decision-maker. The monarch's role is largely ceremonial and civic, and they do not exercise executive or policy-making power. This is in contrast to absolute monarchies, where the monarch has unlimited power and is the sole decision-maker.
In a constitutional monarchy, the monarch's power is restricted by a set of laws and basic principles outlined in the constitution. The constitution establishes the organisation of the government and places legislative power in the parliament or legislature. The monarch's role is to embody and represent the nation, while the government is carried out by a cabinet of elected officials.
The monarch's powers can vary between countries. For example, in Norway, the King chairs special meetings of the cabinet, while in Denmark and Belgium, the monarch appoints a representative to preside over the formation of a coalition government after a parliamentary election. In Commonwealth realms, the monarch and their Governors-General hold significant "reserve" or "prerogative" powers that can be used in times of extreme emergency or constitutional crisis. For example, during the 1975 Australian constitutional crisis, the Governor-General dismissed the Australian Prime Minister.
The constitutional monarchy model has evolved over time, replacing most absolute monarchies in the 20th century. After the Second World War, surviving European monarchies adopted some variation of the constitutional monarchy model, originally developed in Britain. Today, slightly more than a quarter of constitutional monarchies are Western European countries, including the United Kingdom, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Norway, Denmark, Luxembourg, Monaco, Liechtenstein, and Sweden. The two most populous constitutional monarchies in the world are in Asia: Japan and Thailand.
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The UK's parliamentary sovereignty is unique
The UK's parliamentary sovereignty is also unique in that it is not extended to the Scottish Parliament, the Senedd, or the Northern Ireland Assembly. The Scottish Parliament, established in 1998, has implications for parliamentary supremacy as it can block certain decisions of the UK government, such as the establishment of new nuclear power stations in Scotland. However, the Scottish legal system's separate existence is a continuing limitation on the sovereignty of the UK Parliament.
The UK's parliamentary sovereignty is a combination of parliamentary and national sovereignty, relating to the existence or non-existence of limits on parliament's power in its legislative role. While the House of Commons dominates the other components of Parliament, parliamentary sovereignty refers to their joint power with the King and the House of Lords. All legislation receives royal assent from the King, and almost all are passed with the support of the House of Lords. This unique balance of powers and the absence of a codified constitution make the UK's parliamentary sovereignty distinct from other constitutional monarchies.
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Frequently asked questions
A constitutional monarchy is a form of government where the monarch's powers are limited by a constitution. The constitution outlines the basic principles and laws that the monarch must abide by and places the legislative power in the parliament.
A parliamentary constitutional monarchy is a form of constitutional monarchy where the monarch is the head of state and the parliament is responsible for the government. The monarch has some residual powers but does not exercise executive or policy-making power.
In an absolute monarchy, the monarch is the sole decision-maker and has unlimited powers. In contrast, a constitutional monarchy limits the monarch's powers and distributes decision-making power to a parliament or other governing body.
Some examples of countries with a parliamentary constitutional monarchy include the United Kingdom, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Norway, Denmark, Luxembourg, Monaco, Liechtenstein, Sweden, Japan, and Thailand.
One advantage of a parliamentary constitutional monarchy is that it provides a balance of power between the monarch and the parliament, which can lead to stability and continuity. It also allows for the preservation of traditions and customs associated with the monarchy while still allowing for democratic principles to be practiced.
