Omar Bennett
A constitutional monarchy is a system of government in which a monarch shares power with a constitutionally organized government. While the monarch may be the de facto head of state, they do not personally set public policy or choose political leaders. The oldest constitutional monarchy was that of the Hittites, an ancient Anatolian people who lived during the Bronze Age and whose king shared power with an assembly. The concept of constitutional monarchy has evolved over time, with modern examples ranging from countries like Liechtenstein and Monaco, where the constitution grants substantial powers to the sovereign, to countries like the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms, where the monarch's role is primarily ceremonial and they have little to no personal discretion in the exercise of their authority.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | "A sovereign who reigns but does not rule" |
| Monarch's role | Head of State, non-party political, ceremonial leader |
| Monarch's powers | Substantially limited, e.g. dissolving parliament, giving assent to legislation |
| Type of government | Shares power with a constitutionally organized government |
| Legislative power | Rests with an elected Parliament |
| Examples | United Kingdom, Australia, Belgium, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Thailand |
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What You'll Learn
The monarch's role in a constitutional monarchy
Constitutional monarchy, also known as limited monarchy, parliamentary monarchy, or democratic monarchy, is a form of monarchy in which the monarch's authority is restricted by a constitution and where decision-making is not solely in the hands of the monarch. It stands in contrast to absolute monarchy, where a monarch is the sole decision-maker.
In a constitutional monarchy, the monarch typically serves as the head of state and the head of the nation. While the monarch may hold formal authority, they do not play a direct role in setting public policy or choosing political leaders. Instead, their role is largely ceremonial and symbolic, embodying and representing the nation. The monarch's main functions include appointing the Prime Minister and other ministers, opening new sessions of parliament, and giving royal assent to bills passed by parliament, signifying them as law. The monarch may also receive and send off ambassadors, appoint senior judges, and perform other ceremonial duties.
The monarch has certain rights and powers, including the right to be consulted, the right to encourage, and the right to warn. They may also possess reserve powers that grant them political influence. However, the monarch's powers are generally limited and must be exercised within the constraints of constitutional principles or conventions, rather than personal preferences.
The British Monarchy, for example, is a constitutional monarchy where the monarch, currently King Charles III, serves as the head of state and head of the Commonwealth. While the King reigns, the ruling is done by his government, and he is obliged to follow the government's advice. The monarch's role in the United Kingdom is largely ceremonial, with the real power resting with the elected Parliament.
The degree of power held by monarchs in constitutional monarchies can vary across different countries. For instance, in Liechtenstein, Monaco, Morocco, Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Bhutan, the constitution grants substantial discretionary powers to the sovereign. In contrast, in countries like the United Kingdom, Commonwealth realms, the Netherlands, Spain, Belgium, and others, the monarch's discretionary powers are significantly more limited, if present at all.
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The powers of a constitutional monarch
In a constitutional monarchy, the monarch's power is limited by a constitution, which sets out their duties and responsibilities. They may be the de facto head of state or a purely ceremonial leader, with the real power lying with the prime minister and parliament. The constitution allocates the rest of the government's power to the legislature and judiciary.
While the monarch may hold formal authority and the government may operate in their name, they no longer personally set public policy or choose political leaders. They act as a visible symbol of national unity and continue to play an important part in the life of the nation. As Head of State, they undertake constitutional and representative duties, which have developed over a long period of time. They also have a less formal role as the 'Head of the Nation'.
The monarch has certain reserve powers and may play an important political role. They can hold formal powers such as dissolving parliament or giving royal assent to legislation. However, such powers are generally exercised in accordance with written constitutional principles or unwritten constitutional conventions rather than any personal political preferences.
The oldest constitutional monarchy was that of the Hittites, an ancient Anatolian people who lived during the Bronze Age. Their king had to share his authority with an assembly called the Panku, which was the equivalent of a modern-day legislature.
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The history of constitutional monarchy
The oldest constitutional monarchy can be traced back to the ancient Hittites, a Bronze Age people in Anatolia. The Hittite king shared power with an assembly called the Panku, which was composed of representatives from noble families.
Another early example of a constitutional monarchy was established by Demonax for King Battus III the Lame of Cyrene in 548 BCE. At this time, Cyrenaica had become an unstable state, and the new form of monarchy helped to address this.
In the Kingdom of England, the constitutional monarchy was furthered by the Glorious Revolution of 1688, which was restricted by laws such as the Bill of Rights of 1689 and the Act of Settlement of 1701. However, the first form of a constitution in England was enacted with the Magna Carta of 1215.
Today, there are various forms of constitutional monarchy around the world. In some countries, such as Liechtenstein, Monaco, Morocco, Jordan, Kuwait, and Bahrain, the constitution grants substantial discretionary powers to the sovereign. In other countries, like the United Kingdom, Australia, the Netherlands, Spain, Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, the monarch has significantly less, if any, personal discretion in the exercise of their authority.
While most monarchs hold formal authority and the government may operate in the monarch's name, the monarch typically does not personally set public policy or choose political leaders. Political scientist Vernon Bogdanor defined a constitutional monarch as "A sovereign who reigns but does not rule". Constitutional monarchs may hold formal powers, such as dissolving parliament or giving royal assent to legislation, but these powers are generally exercised in accordance with constitutional principles rather than personal political preferences.
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Examples of constitutional monarchies
A constitutional monarchy is a system of government in which a monarch acts as the head of state, but the political power is held by a constitutionally organized body, such as a parliament or a similar legislative body overseen by a prime minister. The monarch in a constitutional monarchy may be a ceremonial leader or the de facto head of state. The constitution allocates the rest of the government's power to the legislature and judiciary.
Constitutional monarchies differ from absolute monarchies, in which the monarch has total power over the government and the people. In a constitutional monarchy, the monarch's power is limited by a constitution, and they may have some "reserve" or "prerogative" powers to be used in times of extreme emergency or constitutional crisis.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy with a long history. The monarch, currently King Charles III, is the head of state, while an appointed prime minister leads the government in the form of the British Parliament. The Parliament, composed of the House of Commons and the House of Lords, holds all law-making powers.
Belgium
Belgium is another example of a constitutional monarchy. The monarch in Belgium formally appoints a representative to preside over the creation of a coalition government following a parliamentary election.
Norway
In Norway, another constitutional monarchy, the King chairs special meetings of the cabinet and is the nominal chief executive. However, the monarch is bound by convention to act on the advice of the Cabinet.
Japan and Thailand
Japan and Thailand are the two most populous constitutional monarchies in the world, located in Asia. In these countries, the prime minister holds the day-to-day powers of governance, while the monarch retains residual powers that are not always insignificant.
Canada
Canada is also a constitutional monarchy and a member of the Commonwealth of Nations.
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The difference between constitutional monarchy and absolute monarchy
A constitutional monarchy is a system of government in which a monarch acts as a non-party political ceremonial head of state under a constitution, whether codified or uncodified. The monarch may hold formal authority, but the government legally operates, and the power to make and pass legislation resides with an elected parliament. The monarch's role is largely ceremonial, and they may act as a symbol of national unity. They may retain certain formal powers, such as dissolving parliament or giving royal assent to legislation, but these are typically exercised in accordance with constitutional principles rather than personal preference. Examples of constitutional monarchies include the United Kingdom, Spain, Sweden, Japan, and Morocco.
In contrast, an absolute monarchy is a form of government where the monarch holds supreme power and rules as a dictator. In this system, the monarch has absolute or unlimited power over the country, and there is no higher law than their command. Absolute monarchs can make and enforce laws without the consent of the people or a parliament. They can also set public policy and choose political leaders. Examples of absolute monarchies include Saudi Arabia and Eswatini (formerly Swaziland).
The main difference between a constitutional monarchy and an absolute monarchy lies in the distribution of power. In a constitutional monarchy, the monarch's power is limited by a constitution and an elected parliament, while in an absolute monarchy, the monarch holds supreme power and rules without the same legal or political constraints.
The development of constitutional monarchies can be traced back to ancient times, with the Hittites being the oldest known example. The idea of the "divine right of kings", which asserted that a monarch's power came directly from God, was prevalent in Europe beginning in the 1500s. However, by the 1700s, citizens began to reject this notion, viewing monarchs as brutal tyrants instead. This shift in perception led to the emergence of constitutional monarchies, where the power of the monarch was restricted by laws and a governing body.
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Frequently asked questions
A constitutional monarchy is a system of government where a monarch shares power with a constitutionally organized government. The monarch may be the de facto head of state or a ceremonial leader. The constitution allocates the government's powers to the legislature and judiciary.
Examples of constitutional monarchies include the United Kingdom, Australia, Belgium, Cambodia, Jordan, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and Thailand.
The oldest constitutional monarchy was that of the Hittites, an ancient Anatolian people who lived during the Bronze Age. The king of the Hittites shared his authority with an assembly called the Panku, which was the equivalent of a modern-day legislature.
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