Simone Lawson
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 allocates the government's power to the legislature and judiciary. The role of a constitutional monarchy is to have a head of state and a head of government that is governed by the constitution of the country. The head of state is usually the king, and the head of government is the prime minister. The title of king is hereditary and is held for life once crowned. Both the head of state and head of government are bound by the constitution of their country. The powers of the monarch differ between countries.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Form of government | A constitutional monarchy is a form of monarchy in which the monarch exercises their authority in accordance with a constitution and is not alone in making decisions. |
| Distribution of power | The real power in constitutional monarchies is in the legislative body, which makes the laws, which the head of state is expected to proclaim and follow. |
| Head of state | The monarch is the head of state and is either a hereditary ruler or elected. |
| Head of government | The prime minister is the head of government. |
| Title | The title of king is hereditary and is held for life once crowned. |
| Powers of the monarch | The powers of the monarch differ between countries. The monarch may be the de facto head of state or a purely ceremonial leader. |
| Examples | The United Kingdom, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Norway, Denmark, Luxembourg, Monaco, Liechtenstein, Sweden, Japan, Thailand, and Malaysia. |
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What You'll Learn
The role of the monarch
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 allocates the rest of the government's power to the legislature and judiciary.
The monarch's most important powers include appointing the prime minister and other ministers, opening new sessions of parliament, and giving royal assent to bills passed by parliament, signifying that they have become law. The monarch also chairs meetings of the privy council, approves orders, receives incoming and outgoing ambassadors, and makes other appointments, such as senior judges. However, in all these duties, the monarch acts on the advice of the government.
The monarch is also seen as an indispensable source of knowledge, and prime ministers are expected to frequently rely on the wisdom of monarchs when making major decisions. This role is often referred to as the "right to be consulted".
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The distribution of power
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 allocates the rest of the government's power to the legislature and judiciary.
In a constitutional monarchy, the distribution of power varies but is typically dispersed across the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government. The executive branch is usually overseen by the prime minister, who holds the day-to-day powers of governance. The legislative branch includes bodies such as Parliament, which makes the laws, and the National Diet. The judicial branch includes the Supreme Court and lower courts.
The monarch's role in a constitutional monarchy is primarily as a symbol for the nation. While the monarch may not have direct political power, they are often seen as indispensable sources of knowledge due to their lifetime of political experience. Prime ministers are expected to frequently rely on the wisdom of monarchs when making major decisions. The monarch's power is also significant because they represent an unbroken hereditary line of succession.
In some countries, the monarch has additional powers, such as the ability to appoint a prime minister, proclaim laws, and handle foreign relations. For example, in Norway, the King chairs special meetings of the cabinet, and in Belgium, the monarch appoints a representative to preside over the creation of a coalition government following a parliamentary election. However, in nearly all cases, the monarch is bound by convention to act on the advice of the Cabinet.
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The constitution and laws
A constitutional monarchy is a system of government in which a monarch shares power with a constitutionally organized government. The constitution allocates the government's power to the legislature and judiciary. The monarch may be the de facto head of state or a ceremonial leader.
In a constitutional monarchy, the monarch is the head of state and the prime minister is the head of the government. The title of king is hereditary and is held for life once crowned. Both the head of state and the head of government are bound by the constitution of their country.
The powers of the monarch differ between countries. In some countries, the monarch formally appoints a representative to preside over the creation of a coalition government following a parliamentary election. In other countries, the monarch chairs special meetings of the cabinet. In nearly all cases, the monarch is the nominal chief executive, but is bound by convention to act on the advice of the Cabinet.
The real power in constitutional monarchies lies with the legislative body, which makes the laws that the head of state is expected to proclaim and follow. A true head of state has the power to make political decisions, while a ceremonial leader does not. The distribution of power in a constitutional monarchy varies but is typically dispersed across the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government.
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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 ceremonial leader. The constitution allocates the rest of the government's power to the legislature and judiciary.
Constitutional monarchies differ from absolute monarchies, in which a monarch is the only decision-maker and exercises full authority as the head of state. In a constitutional monarchy, the monarch's power is limited by the constitution of the country and is shared with a prime minister or other elected officials.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy with a long history of monarchy and democracy co-existing. The UK has a prime minister and a monarch, currently King Charles III, who is the head of state. While the monarch has some powers, such as appointing the prime minister and handling foreign relations, the real power is held by the Parliament and the prime minister.
Belgium
Belgium is a constitutional monarchy with a unique feature: it is the only remaining explicit popular monarchy. The king's formal title is "King of the Belgians" rather than "King of Belgium". This model is believed to have been influenced by the title "King of the French" granted during the July Monarchy in 1830.
Norway
Norway is another example of a constitutional monarchy. While the monarch, currently King Harald V, is the nominal chief executive, they are bound by convention to act on the advice of the Cabinet. The king also chairs special meetings of the cabinet, showcasing the unique balance of powers in this constitutional monarchy.
Japan
Japan is a constitutional monarchy with an emperor, who serves as the symbolic head of state and the head of the Shinto religion. The emperor has limited powers compared to the country's elected officials, including the prime minister, who holds the day-to-day powers of governance. Japan is the only country remaining with an emperor as its monarch.
Thailand
Thailand is a constitutional monarchy with a unique blend of Western and traditional influences. The monarch, currently King Maha Vajiralongkorn, holds residual powers, including the power to appoint a representative to preside over the formation of a coalition government following a parliamentary election. The prime minister of Thailand holds the day-to-day powers of governance, while the monarch retains certain important, though not always significant, roles.
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The evolution of constitutional monarchies
The constitutional monarchy, also known as a limited monarchy, parliamentary monarchy, or democratic 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 allocates the rest of the government's power to the legislature and judiciary.
The oldest constitutional monarchy, dating back to ancient times, was that of the Hittites. They were an ancient Anatolian people who lived during the Bronze Age, and their king had to share authority with an assembly called the Panku, which was the equivalent of a modern-day deliberative assembly or legislature.
In the Kingdom of England, the Glorious Revolution of 1688 furthered the constitutional monarchy, which was restricted by laws such as the Bill of Rights of 1689 and the Act of Settlement of 1701. The first form of a constitution was enacted with the Magna Carta in 1215. Later, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, formed after the Union of Lublin in 1569 and lasting until 1795, operated much like many modern European constitutional monarchies.
After the First World War, the model of constitutional monarchy established under the Constitution of the German Empire was discredited and abolished. Similarly, Fascist Italy could be considered a constitutional monarchy, with a king as the titular head of state while actual power was held by Benito Mussolini under a constitution. This eventually discredited the Italian monarchy, leading to its abolition in 1946.
Following World War II, surviving European monarchies almost invariably adopted some variant 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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Frequently asked questions
A constitutional monarchy is a form 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, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Norway, Denmark, Luxembourg, Monaco, Liechtenstein, Sweden, Japan, and Thailand.
In a constitutional monarchy, the monarch's power is limited by a constitution, and they share power with a constitutional government. In an absolute monarchy, the monarch is the sole decision-maker and holds all the power.
The role of the monarch in a constitutional monarchy varies but typically includes functions such as appointing a prime minister, proclaiming laws, handling foreign relations, and serving as a symbol for the nation.
The distribution of power in a constitutional monarchy is typically dispersed across the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government. The executive branch is usually overseen by the prime minister, while the legislative branch includes bodies such as Parliament, and the judicial branch includes the Supreme Court and lower courts.
