Eleanor Finch
A federal constitutional monarchy is a system of government in which a federation of states is led by a single monarch, while individual states within the federation may retain different monarchs or have a non-monarchical system of government. The monarch's powers are limited by a constitution, and the roles of head of state and head of government are held by separate people. The United Arab Emirates, for example, is a federation of seven absolute monarchies, with a president as the de jure head of state and a prime minister as the de facto head of government. Only two countries currently qualify as federal monarchies: Malaysia and Cambodia, where the ruler is selected by an electoral college.
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What You'll Learn
Federal monarchy definition
A federal monarchy is a federation of states with a single monarch as the overall head, while the individual states within the federation may retain different monarchs or have a non-monarchical system of government. The term was introduced into English political and historical discourse by Edward Augustus Freeman in his 1863 book, 'History of Federal Government'. Freeman himself thought a federal monarchy was only possible in the abstract.
Historically, the most prominent example of a federal monarchy was the German Empire from 1871 to 1918, with the German Emperor as the head of state of the federation, who was also the King of Prussia, the largest constituent state. Other states within the empire retained their own monarchs, such as the kingdoms of Bavaria, Saxony, and Württemberg, as well as various grand duchies, duchies, and principalities.
In the Eastern Hemisphere, an example of a federal monarchy is the system of government in India in the 3rd century BCE Maurya Empire, where regional rulers appointed by the emperor headed the regional administrations. The Sikh Empire of Punjab was also a federal monarchy, with misldars and rajas controlling their respective misls and kingdoms under the Maharaja of Punjab.
Currently, only two countries qualify as federal monarchies: the United Arab Emirates, which is a federation of seven absolute monarchies with a president functioning as the head of state, and Malaysia, a federal country with an elective monarchy, where the King of Malaysia (Yang di-Pertuan Agong) is selected from among nine state rulers who are also constitutional monarchs.
A constitutional monarchy is a system of government in which the powers of the monarch are limited by a constitution. The monarch may be a symbolic head of state with no political role and is typically separate from the head of government, such as in Canada, where the Governor General is the monarch's representative and exercises most of the monarch's powers and responsibilities.
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Examples of federal monarchies
A federal monarchy is a federation of states with a single monarch as the overall head of the federation, but with different monarchs or a non-monarchical system of government in the various states that are part of the federation.
There are currently only two countries that qualify as federal monarchies: Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Malaysia is a federal country with an elective monarchy. The King of Malaysia (Yang di-Pertuan Agong) is selected from among nine state rulers who are also constitutional monarchs themselves. The prime minister is the head of the government and is elected by the people.
The UAE is a federation of seven absolute monarchies, with the president functioning as the head of state. The president is elected by the Supreme Council, and the prime minister is appointed and is the head of government. The president and prime minister are the de facto rulers of the absolute monarchies of Abu Dhabi and Dubai, respectively.
Historically, the most prominent example of a federal monarchy in the Western world was the German Empire (1871-1918). The head of state of the federation was the German Emperor, who was also the head of state of its largest constituent part, Prussia. Other constituent monarchies, such as the kingdoms of Bavaria, Saxony, and Württemberg, and various grand duchies, duchies, and principalities, retained their own monarchs.
Other examples of countries that were once federal monarchies include the Maurya Empire in India in the 3rd century BCE, the Sikh Empire of Punjab, and the Anglo-Corsican Kingdom in the history of Corsica from 1794 to 1796.
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Constitutional monarchy definition
A constitutional monarchy is a system of government in which a king or queen, i.e., a monarch, acts as the head of state but their powers are restricted by a constitution. In a constitutional monarchy, the head of state and the head of government are different people. The head of state has important constitutional responsibilities but no political role. They are non-partisan and not affiliated with any political party or platform. The head of government, usually the prime minister, is the political leader who heads the cabinet.
Constitutional monarchies can be elective, where the ruler is selected by an electoral college, or hereditary, where the position is inherited. In an elective constitutional monarchy, the monarch is chosen from a small group of individuals who are already constitutional monarchs themselves. An example of this is Malaysia, where the King of Malaysia is selected from nine state rulers who are also constitutional monarchs.
The oldest constitutional monarchy was that of the Hittites, an ancient Anatolian people who lived during the Bronze Age. The king of the Hittites had to share his authority with an assembly called the Panku, which was the equivalent of a modern-day legislature.
Constitutional monarchies can also be federal, where a federation of states has a single monarch as the overall head but retains different monarchs or a non-monarchical system of government in the various states. An example of a federal constitutional monarchy was the German Empire from 1871 to 1918, where the German Emperor was the head of state of the federation but also the king of its largest constituent part, Prussia.
Constitutional monarchies can be found in many parts of the world, including the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Japan, and several other Commonwealth realms.
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Examples of constitutional monarchies
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 purely ceremonial leader. The constitution allocates the government's remaining powers to the legislature and judiciary.
Constitutional monarchies range from countries such as Liechtenstein, Monaco, Morocco, Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Bhutan, where the constitution grants substantial powers to the monarch. In executive monarchies (also called semi-constitutional monarchies), the monarch wields significant (though not absolute) power. The monarchy under this system of government is a powerful political and social institution.
The United Kingdom
The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy, with King Charles III as its monarch. The UK is one of the oldest constitutional monarchies, dating back to ancient times with the Hittites, an ancient Anatolian people who lived during the Bronze Age. In the UK, the monarch is the head of state and the emblem of state authority, but the sovereign accepts that this authority has been transposed to a formal position, and the monarch waives actual political power, which is assumed by the people. The prime minister and other elected politicians exercise political authority, and the political process follows democratic procedures.
Belgium
Belgium is another example of a constitutional monarchy, with the King of the Belgians as the formal title of its monarch. Belgium is the only remaining explicit popular monarchy, and its model has been recognized as being based on the title "King of the French" granted by the Charter of 1830 to the monarch of the July Monarchy. Belgium's monarch formally appoints a representative to preside over the creation of a coalition government following a parliamentary election.
Norway
Norway is also a constitutional monarchy, with a king as its head of state. In Norway, the king chairs special meetings of the cabinet and has residual powers, although the prime minister holds the day-to-day powers of governance.
Japan
Japan is a constitutional monarchy with an emperor as its head of state. It is the only country remaining with an emperor. Japan is one of the two most populous constitutional monarchies in the world, located in Asia.
Malaysia
Malaysia is a federal country with an elective monarchy. The King of Malaysia (Yang di-Pertuan Agong) is selected from among nine state rulers who are also constitutional monarchs themselves.
Historical Examples
Historically, there have been other constitutional monarchies that no longer exist or have transitioned to other forms of government. For example, the German Empire (1871-1918) was a federal monarchy with the German Emperor as the head of state. Nepal was a constitutional monarchy until 2008, when it became a federal democratic republic. Nigeria was a constitutional monarchy from its independence in 1960 until it became a republic in 1963, with Queen Elizabeth II as its only monarch.
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Differences between federal and constitutional monarchies
A federal constitutional monarchy is a country with a king or queen whose power is controlled by a set of laws and principles outlined in a constitution. This form of government differs from absolute monarchies, where the monarch holds sole decision-making power. In a federal constitutional monarchy, the monarch's role is often ceremonial or symbolic, and they share power with a constitutionally organized government.
In a federal constitutional monarchy, the monarch's powers are limited by the constitution, which also grants law-making power to the legislature. The monarch may retain certain residual powers, but their role is primarily representative and civic. The constitution ensures that power is shared between the monarch and the government, which typically includes a prime minister who holds day-to-day powers of governance.
The differences between federal and constitutional monarchies lie in the specific structures and divisions of power within their respective systems. In a federal monarchy, the power is distributed between a central authority and several regional authorities, with each level of government having defined responsibilities and autonomy. This structure allows for a more decentralized form of governance, accommodating diverse geographical regions and populations within a single nation.
On the other hand, a constitutional monarchy focuses on limiting the powers of the monarch and establishing a clear separation of powers between the monarch and the elected government. While the monarch may retain certain ceremonial or symbolic roles, the constitution ensures that they do not hold absolute power. The constitution outlines the distribution of powers among the branches of government, typically including the legislature, judiciary, and executive.
Examples of federal constitutional monarchies include Malaysia, where the King of Malaysia is selected from among the nine state rulers, and the United States, where the federal government shares power with individual state governments, each with its own constitution and laws.
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Frequently asked questions
A federal constitutional monarchy is a system of government in which a federation of states is led by a single monarch, while the individual states within the federation may retain different monarchs or have a non-monarchical system of government. The monarch's powers are limited by a constitution.
The German Empire (1871-1918) is a historical example of a federal constitutional monarchy. The head of state of the federation was the German Emperor, who was also the King of Prussia. Other constituent monarchies within the empire, such as the kingdoms of Bavaria, Saxony, and Württemberg, retained their own monarchs.
Currently, only two countries qualify as federal constitutional monarchies: Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates. In Malaysia, the King of Malaysia (Yang di-Pertuan Agong) is selected from among nine state rulers who are also constitutional monarchs themselves. In the United Arab Emirates, the president functions as the head of state of a federation of seven absolute monarchies and is elected by the Supreme Council.
