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Constitutional monarchy

From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Image
  Semi-constitutional monarchies
  Parliamentary constitutional monarchies
  Commonwealth realms (parliamentary monarchies in personal union)

A constitutional monarchy is a form of monarchy. In a constitutional monarchy, a king or queen is the official head of state. However, their powers are limited by a constitution and they usually do not have much real power, as the legislative branch is the primary governing body. A constitutional monarchy is different than an absolute monarchy because in absolute monarchies, the monarch is able to rule with full power, and is able to change the laws freely.

Creation

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Constitutional monarchy first emerged in England. At first, the British monarchy was absolute. However, the nobility under King John felt that the king had abused his power, and forced him to sign a document called Magna Carta.[1] This document limited the powers of the king and made him somewhat responsible for the wellbeing of his subjects. The document, however was more focused on maintaining the ability of the nobles to have a say in what the king did.

Contemporary constitutional monarchies include the United Kingdom and Commonwealth realms, Belgium, Bhutan, Bahrain, Cambodia, Denmark, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Liechtenstein, Lesotho, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Monaco, Morocco, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Eswatini, Sweden, and Thailand.

List of current reigning monarchies

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The following is a list of reigning monarchies. Except where noted, monarch selection is hereditary as directed by the state's constitution.

State Last constitution established Type of monarchy Monarch selection
Image Antigua and Barbuda 1981 Kingdom Hereditary succession.
Image Andorra 1993 Co-Principality Selection of Bishop of La Seu d'Urgell and election of French President
Image Australia 1901 Constitutional Monarchy and Parliamentary Democracy. Hereditary succession.
Image The Bahamas 1973 Kingdom Hereditary succession.
Image Barbados 1966 Kingdom Hereditary succession.
Image Bahrain 2002 Kingdom Hereditary succession
Image Belgium 1831 Kingdom; popular monarchy[2] Hereditary succession
Image  Vatican City 1929 Elective absolute monarchy The Pope is elected by the cardinals of the Catholic Church
Image Belize 1981 Kingdom Hereditary succession.
Image Bhutan 2007 Kingdom Hereditary succession.
Image Cambodia 1993 Elective monarchy; Kingdom Chosen by throne council
Image Canada 1867 (last updated 1982) Constitutional Monarchy and Federal Parliamentary Democracy. Hereditary succession.
Image Denmark 1953 Kingdom Hereditary succession
Image Greenland 2009 Parliamentary Democracy and Constitutional Monarchy. Hereditary succession.
Image Grenada 1974 Kingdom Hereditary succession.
Image Jamaica 1962 Kingdom Hereditary succession.
Image Japan 1946 Empire Hereditary succession
Image Jordan 1952 Kingdom
Image Qatar 1971 Kingdom; mixture of Constitutional and Absolute monarchy
Image Kuwait 1962 Emirate Hereditary succession, with directed approval of the House of Al-Sabah and majority of National Assembly
Image Lesotho 1993 Kingdom Hereditary succession directed approval of College of Chiefs[source?]
Image Liechtenstein 1862 Principality
Image Luxembourg 1868 Grand duchy
Image Malaysia 1957 Elective monarchy; Federal monarchy Selected from nine hereditary Sultans of the Malay states
Image Monaco 1911 Kingdom
Image Morocco 1666 Kingdom
Image Netherlands 1815 Kingdom
Image Norway 1814 Kingdom
Image New Zealand 1907 Constitutional Monarchy and Parliamentary Democracy. Hereditary succession.
Image Papua New Guinea 1975 Kingdom Hereditary succession.
Image Saint Kitts and Nevis 1983 Kingdom Hereditary succession.
Image Saint Lucia 1979 Kingdom Hereditary succession.
Image Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1979 Kingdom Hereditary succession.
Image Solomon Islands 1978 Kingdom Hereditary succession.
Image Spain 1978 Kingdom
Image Eswatini (Swaziland) 1968 Kingdom; Mixture of absolute and constitutional monarchy Hereditary succession
Image Sweden 1974 Kingdom Switched from semi-constitutional monarchy to constitutional monarchy
Image Thailand 2007 Kingdom
Image Tonga 1970 Kingdom
Image Tuvalu 1978 Kingdom Hereditary succession.
Image United Arab Emirates 1971 Federal Union of Emirates
Elective monarchy		 President elected by the seven absolute monarchs of the Federal Supreme Council
Image United Kingdom 1688 Constitutional Monarchy and Parliamentary Democracy. Hereditary succession.

References

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  1. ↑ "English translation of Magna Carta". The British Library. Archived from the original on 2023-01-17. Retrieved 2018-05-24.
  2. ↑ Belgium is the only existing popular monarchy — a system in which the monarch's title is linked to the people rather than a state. The title of Belgian kings is not King of Belgium, but instead King of the Belgians. Another unique feature of the Belgian system is that the new monarch does not automatically assume the throne at the death or abdication of his predecessor; he only becomes monarch upon taking a constitutional oath.
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