Jonah Patel
A constitutional monarchy is a system of government in which 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 outlines the government's power structure and distribution among various political units. The powers of the monarch differ between countries. Some countries with constitutional monarchies featuring an active monarch include Japan, Norway, Malaysia, the United Kingdom, Canada, Thailand, Sweden, Australia, New Zealand, and Jamaica.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of constitutional monarchies in the world | 44 (as of 2019) |
| Percentage of constitutional monarchies in the world that are Western European | Slightly more than a quarter |
| Examples of Western European constitutional monarchies | United Kingdom, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Norway, Denmark, Luxembourg, Monaco, Liechtenstein, Sweden |
| Examples of non-Western European constitutional monarchies | Japan, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Malaysia, Morocco, Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain, Bhutan, Canada, Russia, Papua New Guinea |
| Most populous constitutional monarchies in the world | Japan, Thailand |
| Countries with reigning princes | Andorra, Monaco, Liechtenstein |
| Countries with a king as the constitutional monarch | Belgium, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Malaysia, Cambodia, Jordan, Morocco, Bahrain, Bhutan, Lesotho, the United Kingdom, Australia, The Bahamas, Belize, Canada, Grenada, Jamaica, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu |
| Countries with an emperor as the constitutional monarch | Japan |
| Countries with a grand duke as the constitutional monarch | Luxembourg |
| Countries with an elective monarchy | Malaysia |
| Countries with a semi-constitutional monarchy | Liechtenstein, Monaco |
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What You'll Learn
Constitutional monarchies in Europe
Constitutional monarchies are systems of government in which 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 rest of the government's power to the legislature. Constitutional monarchies differ from absolute monarchies, in which the monarch is the sole decision-maker and has absolute power.
Andorra
Andorra is a constitutional monarchy in Europe, with a reigning prince. It is a mixed monarchy, where the prince retains many powers of an absolute monarch. The people of Andorra can call for a referendum to end the prince's reign.
Belgium
Belgium is a constitutional monarchy and the only remaining explicit popular monarchy. The formal title of its king is "King of the Belgians" rather than "King of Belgium". The Belgian king formally appoints a representative to preside over the creation of a coalition government following a parliamentary election.
Denmark
Denmark is a constitutional monarchy with a long history dating back to the late 7th century. The current monarch, Queen Margrethe II, is a descendant of Gorm the Old, whose reign began in the 940s. The Danish monarchy has a formal law of succession adopted in 1665.
Luxembourg
Luxembourg is a constitutional monarchy with a grand duke as its monarch, the only country with this title for its ruler. The monarch has a limited, largely ceremonial role.
Monaco
Monaco is a constitutional monarchy with a reigning prince, one of only three countries with this distinction. The prince of Monaco has the power to select the minister of state, government council, and judges.
Norway
Norway is a constitutional monarchy with a king as its head of state. The king of Norway chairs special meetings of the cabinet and has a largely ceremonial role.
Spain
Spain is a constitutional monarchy with a king as its head of state. The monarch has a ceremonial role and limited powers, as the country is a full democracy.
Sweden
Sweden is a constitutional monarchy with a monarch serving a ceremonial role. The Swedish monarchy has amended its constitution.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy with a king as its head of state. The monarch, currently King Charles III, has a ceremonial role and does not wield legislative power.
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Constitutional monarchies in Asia
While monarchy was once the most common form of government across much of Asia, only a handful of royal families remain today. Of these, several Asian countries are constitutional monarchies, where the monarch has a limited or ceremonial role. These include Japan, Thailand, Bhutan, and Cambodia.
Japan is considered a constitutional monarchy and is home to the world's oldest continuous hereditary monarchy, which can trace its lineage back at least 1,500 years. The role of the emperor is now entirely representative and ceremonial, with the power to appoint the prime minister and cabinet, as well as the power of commutation and pardon.
Thailand is also a constitutional monarchy, having transitioned from an absolute monarchy in 1932. The monarchy in Thailand has considerable power and influence, and the king is seen as a symbol of national unity. While the monarchy's role is limited by the constitution, it still wields significant influence in the country's politics and can act as an arbiter in times of political crisis.
Bhutan is a small landlocked country in South Asia that transitioned to a constitutional monarchy in 2008. The monarchy in Bhutan is known for its unique concept of "Gross National Happiness," which prioritizes the well-being and happiness of its citizens over purely economic measures of development.
Cambodia is an elective monarchy, with the ruler selected by a council of the country's political and religious representatives. The monarchy in Cambodia holds more power and influence than what is officially described in constitutional terms. King Norodom Sihanouk, for example, led the country to independence from France in 1953 before abdicating to enter politics.
In addition to these countries, Malaysia and Brunei are also mentioned as having monarchies with varying degrees of influence and power. Malaysia has a unique system where the king, known as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, is elected by the rulers of nine of its states and serves a five-year term. While the Malaysian monarchy has limited powers, it still holds a prominent position in the country's politics and is seen as a defender of Malay tradition and Islam. Brunei, on the other hand, has an absolute monarchy with the Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah upholding the legitimacy of his reign in the democratic era.
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Constitutional monarchies in the Commonwealth
There are 15 constitutional monarchies under King Charles III, which are known as Commonwealth realms. These include Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Belize, Canada, Grenada, Jamaica, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, and the United Kingdom.
The Commonwealth realms share the same person as a hereditary monarchy under the Westminster system of constitutional governance. The monarch is the head of state but does not rule, and is constitutionally obliged to follow the government's advice. 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.
Two constitutional monarchies, Malaysia and Cambodia, are elective monarchies, in which the ruler is periodically selected by a small electoral college. Some constitutional monarchies, such as the United Kingdom and Australia, have been referred to as "crowned republics", as the monarch has a limited role and the countries are otherwise fully democratic.
Other Commonwealth countries have become republics, such as India, which became the first republic within the Commonwealth in 1950, and Malta and Fiji.
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Semi-constitutional monarchies
A constitutional monarchy is a form of government in which a monarch acts as the head of state within the boundaries set by a constitution. In this system, while the monarch may have some powers, they must operate under the laws and regulations laid out in the constitution, making them more of a ceremonial figure with limited political authority.
Some countries with semi-constitutional monarchies include Liechtenstein, Monaco, Morocco, Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Bhutan. In these countries, the constitution grants substantial discretionary powers to the sovereign. While the monarchs in these countries have significant executive power, they are not absolute monarchs and have limited de facto power compared to Islamic monarchs. For example, the King of Jordan and the King of Morocco maintain more significant political influence than some other constitutional monarchs.
In contrast, countries like the United Kingdom, Canada, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Japan are constitutional monarchies where the monarch retains significantly less, if any, personal discretion in the exercise of their authority. In these countries, the monarch often serves a largely ceremonial role, with elected officials managing government affairs. However, it is important to note that the powers of the monarch can vary between countries, even within the category of semi-constitutional monarchies.
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Countries with reigning princes
There are a few countries with reigning princes, notably the small nations of Liechtenstein and Monaco, which are both constitutional or semi-constitutional monarchies. In these countries, the prince is the head of state and wields significant executive power, although they are not absolute monarchs as the national government is managed by democratically elected officials. The Prince of Liechtenstein, for example, has the power to veto any law that the Landtag (parliament) proposes and vice versa. The Prince of Monaco has similar powers, including the ability to select the minister of state, government council and judges.
Andorra is also a constitutional monarchy with two co-princes: the Bishop of Urgell and the President of France. However, these princes do not have any personal title attached to their role and the position will pass to the next people to hold these offices, rather than to their children.
Other countries with princes in line to the throne include the United Kingdom, where King Charles III's heir apparent is his eldest son, Prince William, the Prince of Wales. In Luxembourg, the Grand Duke appointed his son Guillaume, Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg as regent, in preparation for his succession to the throne.
In some countries, the term 'prince' is used to refer to the ruler of a smaller territory within the country. For example, in The United Arab Emirates, which is a federation of seven emirates, the ruler of each emirate is often referred to as a 'prince'.
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Frequently asked questions
A constitutional monarchy is a system of government in which a monarch shares power with a constitutionally organized government. The monarch may be the de facto head of state or a ceremonial leader.
Examples of constitutional monarchies include the United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, Thailand, Norway, Sweden, and Australia.
The powers of constitutional monarchs vary. In some countries, the monarch has a ceremonial role and little political influence. In other countries, the monarch has more political power, but they are still bound to exercise their powers within the limits prescribed by an established legal framework.
