List of countries by system of government

This is a list of countries by system of government. There is also a political mapping of the world that shows what form of government each country has, as well as a brief description of what each form of government entails. The list is colour-coded according to the type of government, for example: blue represents a republic with an executive head of state, and pink is a constitutional monarchy with a ceremonial head of state. The color-coding also appears on the following map, representing the same government categories. The legend of what the different colours represent is found just below the map.

It is noteworthy that some scholars in People's Republic of China claim that the country's system of government is a "Semi-presidential system combining party and government in actual operation".[1] Under China's constitution, the Chinese President is a largely ceremonial office with limited power.[2] However, since 1993, as a matter of convention, the presidency has been held simultaneously by the General Secretary of the Communist Party, the top leader in the one-party system who heads the Politburo Standing Committee.[3]

List of countries

Map

A colour-coded legend of forms of government. And how do you like it

[4]

Legend

Presidential republic: Head of state is also head of government and is independent of legislature
Semi-presidential republic: Head of state has some executive powers and is independent of legislature; remaining executive power is vested in ministry that is subject to parliamentary confidence
Republic with an executive presidency nominated by or elected by the legislature: President is both head of state and government; ministry, including the president, may or may not be subject to parliamentary confidence
Parliamentary republic with a ceremonial presidency: Head of state is ceremonial; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Constitutional monarchy: Head of state is executive; Monarch personally exercises power in concert with other institutions
Constitutional parliamentary monarchy: Head of state is ceremonial; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Absolute monarchy: Head of state is executive; all authority vested in absolute monarch
One-party state: Head of state is executive or ceremonial; power constitutionally linked to a single political movement
Countries in which constitutional provisions for government have been suspended (e.g. military dictatorships)
No constitutionally defined basis to current regime (e.g. transitional governments)
Dependencies without a government

Note: this chart represent de jurecode: lat promoted to code: la systems of government, not the de factocode: lat promoted to code: la degree of democracy. Several states that are constitutional republics are in practice ruled as authoritarian states.

UN member states and observers

Name	Constitutional form	Head of state	Basis of executive legitimacy
Afghanistan	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Albania	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Algeria	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Andorra	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Angola	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Antigua and Barbuda	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Argentina	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Armenia	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Australia	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Austria	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Azerbaijan	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Bahamas, The	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Bahrain	Constitutional monarchy	Executive	Monarch personally exercises power in concert with other institutions
Bangladesh	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Barbados	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Belarus	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Belgium	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Belize	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Benin	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Bhutan	Constitutional monarchy	Executive	Monarch personally exercises power in concert with other institutions
Bolivia	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Bosnia and Herzegovina	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Botswana	Republic	Executive	Presidency is elected by legislature; ministry may be, or not be, subject to parliamentary confidence
Brazil	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Brunei	Absolute monarchy	Executive	All authority vested in absolute monarch
Bulgaria	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Burkina Faso	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Burundi	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Cambodia	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Cameroon	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Canada	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Cape Verde	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Central African Republic	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Chad	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Chile	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
China, People's Republic of	Republic	Ceremonial	Power constitutionally linked to a single political movement[note 1]
Colombia	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Comoros	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Congo, Democratic Republic of the	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Congo, Republic of the	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Costa Rica	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Côte d'Ivoire	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Croatia	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Cuba	Republic	Executive	Power constitutionally linked to a single political movement
Cyprus	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Czech Republic	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Denmark	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Djibouti	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Dominica	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Dominican Republic	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
East Timor	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Ecuador	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Egypt	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
El Salvador	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Equatorial Guinea	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Eritrea	Republic	Executive	Power constitutionally linked to a single political movement
Estonia	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Eswatini	Absolute monarchy	Executive	All authority vested in absolute monarch
Ethiopia	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Federated States of Micronesia	Republic	Executive	Presidency is elected by legislature; ministry may be, or not be, subject to parliamentary confidence
Fiji	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Finland	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
France	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Gabon	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Gambia, The	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Georgia	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Germany	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Ghana	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Greece	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Grenada	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Guatemala	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Guinea	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Guinea-Bissau	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Guyana	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Haiti	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Honduras	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Hungary	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Iceland	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
India	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Indonesia	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Iran	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Iraq	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Ireland	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Israel	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Italy	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Jamaica	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Japan	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Jordan	Constitutional monarchy	Executive	Monarch personally exercises power in concert with other institutions
Kazakhstan	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Kenya	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Kiribati	Republic	Executive	Presidency is elected by legislature; ministry may be, or not be, subject to parliamentary confidence
Korea, North	Republic	Executive	Power constitutionally linked to a single political movement
Korea, South	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Kuwait	Constitutional monarchy	Executive	Monarch personally exercises power in concert with other institutions
Kyrgyzstan	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Laos	Republic	Executive	Power constitutionally linked to a single political movement
Latvia	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Lebanon	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Lesotho	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Liberia	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Libya	Provisional	n/a	No constitutionally-defined basis to current regime
Liechtenstein	Constitutional monarchy	Executive	Monarch personally exercises power in concert with other institutions
Lithuania	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Luxembourg	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Madagascar	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Malawi	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Malaysia	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Maldives	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Mali	Provisional	n/a	No constitutionally-defined basis to current regime
Malta	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Marshall Islands	Republic	Executive	Presidency is elected by legislature; ministry may be, or not be, subject to parliamentary confidence
Mauritania	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Mauritius	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Mexico	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Moldova	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Monaco	Constitutional monarchy	Executive	Monarch personally exercises power in concert with other institutions
Mongolia	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Montenegro	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Morocco	Constitutional monarchy	Executive	Monarch personally exercises power in concert with other institutions
Mozambique	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Myanmar	Provisional	n/a	No constitutionally-defined basis to current regime
Namibia	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Nauru	Republic	Executive	Presidency is elected by legislature; ministry may be, or not be, subject to parliamentary confidence
Nepal	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Netherlands	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
New Zealand	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Nicaragua	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Niger	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Nigeria	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
North Macedonia	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Norway	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Oman	Absolute monarchy	Executive	All authority vested in absolute monarch
Pakistan	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Palau	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Palestine	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Panama	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Papua New Guinea	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Paraguay	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Peru	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Philippines	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Poland	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Portugal	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Qatar	Absolute monarchy	Executive	All authority vested in absolute monarch
Romania	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Russia	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Rwanda	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Saint Kitts and Nevis	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Saint Lucia	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Samoa	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
San Marino	Republic	Executive	Presidency is elected by legislature; ministry may be, or not be, subject to parliamentary confidence
São Tomé and Príncipe	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Saudi Arabia	Absolute monarchy	Executive	All authority vested in absolute monarch
Senegal	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Serbia	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Seychelles	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Sierra Leone	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Singapore	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Slovakia	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Slovenia	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Solomon Islands	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Somalia	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
South Africa	Republic	Executive	Presidency is elected by legislature; ministry may be, or not be, subject to parliamentary confidence
South Sudan	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Spain	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Sri Lanka	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Sudan	Provisional	n/a	No constitutionally-defined basis to current regime
Suriname	Republic	Executive	Presidency is elected by legislature; ministry may be, or not be, subject to parliamentary confidence
Sweden	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Switzerland	Republic	Executive	Presidency is elected by legislature; ministry may be, or not be, subject to parliamentary confidence
Syria	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Tajikistan	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Tanzania	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Thailand	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Togo	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Tonga	Constitutional monarchy	Executive	Monarch personally exercises power in concert with other institutions
Trinidad and Tobago	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Tunisia	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Turkey	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Turkmenistan	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Tuvalu	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Uganda	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Ukraine	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
United Arab Emirates	Constitutional monarchy	Executive	Monarch personally exercises power in concert with other institutions
United Kingdom	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
United States	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Uruguay	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Uzbekistan	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Vanuatu	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Vatican City	Absolute monarchy	Executive	All authority vested in absolute monarch
Venezuela	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Vietnam	Republic	Executive	Power constitutionally linked to a single political movement
Yemen	Provisional	n/a	No constitutionally-defined basis to current regime
Zambia	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Zimbabwe	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature

Note: Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, and Mauritania are Islamic Republics.

Partially recognized states

The following states control their territory and are recognized by at least one UN member state.

Name	Constitutional form	Head of state	Basis of executive legitimacy
Abkhazia	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Cook Islands	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Kosovo	Republic	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Niue	Constitutional monarchy	Ceremonial	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Northern Cyprus	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Republic of China	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic	Republic	Executive	Power constitutionally linked to a single political movement
South Ossetia	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence

Unrecognized states

The following states/governments control their territory, but are not recognised by any UN member state.

Name	Constitutional form	Head of state	Basis of executive legitimacy
Artsakh	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Somaliland	Republic	Executive	Presidency is independent of legislature
Transnistria	Republic	Executive	Presidency independent of legislature; ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence

Systems of governance

Italics indicate states with limited recognition.

Presidential systems

These are systems in which a president is the active head of the executive branch of government, and is elected and remains in office independently of the legislature.

In full presidential systems, the president is both head of state and head of government. There is generally no prime minister, although if one exists, in most cases, he or she serves purely at the discretion of the president (with the exceptions being Belarus and Kazakhstan, where the prime minister is effectively the head of government).[5][6]

The following list includes democratic and non-democratic states:

Presidential systems without a prime minister

Note: Iran may be considered to be a theocracy as the government is intertwined with the religious hierarchy.[note 2]

Presidential systems with a prime minister

Semi-presidential systems

In semi-presidential systems, there is always both a president and a head of government, commonly but not exclusively styled Prime Minister. In such systems, the president has genuine executive authority, unlike in a parliamentary republic, but the role of a head of government may be exercised by the prime minister.

Premier-presidential systems

The president chooses the prime minister and cabinet, but only the parliament may remove them from office with a vote of no confidence. The president does not have the right to dismiss the prime minister or the cabinet.

President-parliamentary systems

The president chooses the prime minister and the cabinet without the confidence vote from the parliament, but must have the support of the parliament majority for their choice. In order to remove a prime minister or the whole cabinet from power, the president can dismiss them or the assembly can remove them by a vote of no confidence.

Parliamentary and related systems

In a parliamentary republic, the head of government is selected by, or nominated by, the legislature and is also accountable to it. The head of state is ordinarily called president, and in most parliamentary republics is separate from the head of government and serves as a largely apolitical, ceremonial figure. In these systems, the head of government is usually called prime minister, chancellor or premier. In mixed republican systems and directorial republican systems, the head of government also serves as head of state and is usually titled president.

Full parliamentary republican systems

In some full parliamentary systems, the head of state is directly elected by voters. Under some classification systems, however, these systems may instead be classed as semi-presidential systems, despite their weak presidency.[8] Full parliamentary systems that do not have a directly elected head of state usually use either an electoral college or a vote in the legislature to appoint the head of state.

Directly elected head of state

Indirectly elected head of state

Nations with limited recognition are in italics.

Parliamentary republics with an executive presidency

A combined head of state and government in the form of an executive president is either elected by the legislature or by the voters after a few candidates are nominated for the post by the legislature (in the case of Kiribati), and they must maintain the confidence of the legislature to remain in office.

Assembly-independent republican systems

A combined head of state and head of government (usually titled "president") is elected by the legislature but is immune from a vote of no confidence (as is their cabinet), unlike a prime minister.[28] They may or may not hold a seat in the legislature.

Directorial republican systems

In the directorial system, a council jointly exercises the powers of both head of state and head of government. The council is elected by the parliament, but it is not subject to parliamentary confidence during its term which has a fixed duration.

Switzerland[note 10]

Constitutional monarchies

These are systems in which the head of state is a constitutional monarch; the existence of their office and their ability to exercise their authority is established and restrained or held back by constitutional law.

Constitutional monarchies with ceremonial/non-executive monarchs

Systems in which a prime minister is the active head of the executive branch of government. In some cases the prime minister is also leader of the legislature, in other cases the executive branch is clearly separated from legislature although the entire cabinet or individual ministers must step down in the case of a vote of no confidence.[31][32] The head of state is a constitutional monarch who normally only exercises his or her powers (some monarchs are given a limited number of discretionary 'reserve' powers, only to be used in certain circumstances; many monarchs are given the responsibility to defend the nation's constitution) with the consent of the government, the people and/or their representatives (except in emergencies, e.g. a constitutional crisis or a political deadlock).

Note: Andorra may be considered a theocracy as the monarch is a joint head of state, one of whom is a religious figure.[note 11]

Constitutional monarchies with active monarchs

The prime minister is the nation's active executive, but the monarch still has considerable political powers that can be used at their own discretion.

Absolute monarchies

Specifically, monarchies in which the monarch's exercise of power is unconstrained by any substantive constitutional law.

Traditional absolute monarchies

Notes: Vatican City may be considered a theocracy as the monarch is elected by a religious body,[note 14]

Absolute monarchies with democratically elected legislature

One-party states

States in which political power is by law concentrated within one political party whose operations are largely fused with the government hierarchy (as opposed to states where the law establishes a multi-party system but this fusion is achieved anyway through electoral fraud or simple inertia). However, some do have elected governments.

China, People's Republic of (Communist Party leads the United Front) (list)
Cuba (Communist Party) (list)
Eritrea (People's Front for Democracy and Justice) (list)
Korea, North (Workers' Party leads the Democratic Front) (list)
Laos (People's Revolutionary Party leads the Front for National Construction) (list)
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (Polisario Front)
Vietnam (Communist Party leads the Fatherland Front) (list)

Military dictatorships

The nation's military control the organs of government and all high-ranking political executives are also members of the military hierarchy.

Many other states have been run by military governments in the past such as Pakistan and Myanmar under the State Peace and Development Council. Chile was governed by a military dictatorship for 17 years between 1973 and 1990. Taiwan was also governed by a military dictatorship from 1949 to 1987.

Transitional governments

States that have a system of government that is in transition or turmoil and are classified with the current direction of change.

Systems of internal structure

Unitary states

A state governed as a single power in which the central government is ultimately supreme and any administrative divisions (sub-national units) exercise only the powers that the central government chooses to delegate.

The majority of states in the world have a unitary system of government. Of the 193 UN member states, 165 are governed as unitary states.

Centralised unitary states

States in which most power is exercised by the central government. What local authorities do exist have few powers.

Regionalised unitary states

States in which the central government has delegated some of its powers to regional authorities, but where constitutional authority ultimately remains entirely at a national level.

Bolivia (9 regions, of which 9 are autonomous)
China, People's Republic of (22 provinces, 5 autonomous regions, 4 province-level municipalities, 2 special administrative regions, and 1 claimed province)
China, Republic of (2 provinces, 6 special municipalities, 33 claimed provinces, 3 claimed special administrative regions, 2 claimed areas, 12 claimed special municipalities, 14 claimed leagues, and 4 claimed special banners)
France (18 regions, of which 6 are autonomous)
Indonesia (34 provinces, of which 5 provinces have special status)
Italy (20 regions, of which 5 are autonomous)
Kingdom of the Netherlands (4 constituent countries)
Philippines (one autonomous region subdivided into 5 provinces and 113 other provinces and independent cities grouped into 17 other non-autonomous regions)
Portugal (2 autonomous regions)
Spain (17 autonomous communities, 15 communities of common-regime, 1 community of chartered regime, 3 chartered provinces, 2 autonomous cities)
Tanzania (21 mainland regions and Zanzibar)
Ukraine (24 oblasts, 2 cities with special status, and Crimea)
United Kingdom (4 constituent countries, of which 3 have devolved administrations)

Federation

States in which the federal government shares power with regional governments with which it has legal or constitutional parity. The central government may or may not be (in theory) a creation of the regional governments.

Argentina (23 provinces and one autonomous city: Buenos Aires)
Australia (six states and ten territories)
Austria (nine states)
Belgium (three regions and three linguistic communities)
Bosnia and Herzegovina (two entities and one district)
Brazil (26 states and the Federal District)
Canada (ten provinces and three territories)
Comoros (Anjouan, Grande Comore, Mohéli)
Ethiopia (10 regions and 2 chartered cities)
Germany (16 states)
India (28 states and 8 union territories)
Iraq (18 governorates and one region: Kurdistan)
Malaysia (13 states and three federal territories)
Mexico (31 states and one federal district: Mexico City)
Federated States of Micronesia (Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei and Yap)
Nepal (seven provinces)
Nigeria (36 states and one federal territory: Federal Capital Territory)
Pakistan (4 provinces, 2 autonomous territories and 1 federal territory)
Russia (46 oblasts, 22 republics, nine krais, four autonomous okrugs, three federal cities, one autonomous oblast)
Saint Kitts and Nevis (Saint Kitts, Nevis)
Somalia (six federal member states)
South Sudan (ten states)
Sudan (17 states)
Switzerland (26 cantons)
United Arab Emirates (seven emirates)
United States (50 states, one incorporated territory, and one federal district: District of Columbia)
Venezuela (23 states, one capital district and one federal dependency)

European Union

The exact political character of the European Union is debated, some arguing that it is sui generiscode: lat promoted to code: la (unique), but others arguing that it has features of a federation or a confederation. It has elements of intergovernmentalism, with the European Council acting as its collective "president", and also elements of supranationalism, with the European Commission acting as its executive and bureaucracy.[39] But it is not easily placed in any of the above categories.

Notes and references

Notes

The President of China is legally a ceremonial office without considering the presidency held simultaneously by the General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party.[3]
Iran combines the forms of a presidential republic, with a president elected by universal suffrage; and a theocracy, with a Supreme Leader who is ultimately responsible for state policy, chosen by the elected Assembly of Experts. Candidates for both the Assembly of Experts and the presidency are vetted by the appointed Guardian Council.
Collective presidency consisting of three members; one for each major ethnic group.
Formerly a semi-presidential republic, it is now a parliamentary republic according to David Arter, First Chair of Politics at Aberdeen University, who in his "Scandinavian Politics Today,"[13] he quotes[14] as follows: "There are hardly any grounds for the epithet 'semi-presidential'." Arter's own conclusions are only slightly more nuanced: "The adoption of a new constitution on 1 March 2000 meant that Finland was no longer a case of semi-presidential government other than in the minimalist sense of a situation where a popularly elected fixed-term president exists alongside a prime minister and cabinet who are responsible to parliament (Elgie 2004: 317)". According to the Finnish Constitution, the President has no possibility to rule the government without the ministerial approval, and substantially has not the power to disband the parliament under its own desire. Finland is actually represented by its Prime Minister, and not by its President, in the Council of the Heads of State and Government of the European Union. The 2012 constitutional amendments reduced the powers of the President even further.
In Bangladesh, a caretaker government was in power during parliamentary elections. The Caretaker Government was headed by a Chief Adviser and a group of neutral, non-partisan advisers chosen from the civil society. During this time, the president had jurisdiction over the defence and foreign affairs ministries. But according to the 15th amendment of the Constitution of Bangladesh , the provisions of Caretaker Government is abolished.
The president is elected by parliament and holds a parliamentary seat, much like a prime minister, but is immune from a vote of no confidence (but not their cabinet), unlike a prime minister. Although, if a vote of no confidence is successful and they do not resign, it triggers the dissolution of the legislature and new elections (per section 92 of the Constitution).
Holds a parliamentary seat.
Their two-person head of state and head of government, the Captains Regent, serve for six month terms, although they are not subject to parliamentary confidence during that time.
The President of Switzerland serves in a primus inter pares capacity amongst the Swiss Federal Council, the seven-member executive council which constitutes both the presidency and the government.
The Bishop of Urgell and President of France serve as ex officio co-princes who have their interests known through a representative.
One of sixteen constitutional monarchies which recognize Elizabeth II as head of state, who presides over an independent government. She is titled separately in each country (e.g. Queen of Australia), and notionally appoints a Governor-General (GG) to each country other than the United Kingdom to act as her representative. The prime minister (PM) is the active head of the executive branch of government and also leader of the legislature. These countries may be known as "Commonwealth realms".
In many cases, the Governor-General or monarch has a lot more theoretical, or constitutional, powers than they actually exercise, except on the advice of elected officials, per constitutional convention. For example, the Constitution of Australia makes the GG the head of the executive branch (including commander-in-chief of the armed forces), although they seldom ever use this power, except on the advice of elected officials, especially the PM, which makes the PM the de facto head of government.
The Cook Islands and Niue are under the sovereignty of the Monarch of New Zealand as self-governing states in free association with New Zealand. New Zealand and its associated states, along with Tokelau and the Ross Dependency, comprise the Realm of New Zealand.
The Vatican is an elective absolute monarchy and a Roman Catholic theocracy; its monarch, the Pope, is the head of the global Roman Catholic Church. His power within the Vatican City State is unlimited by any constitution; however, as all its citizens and its residents are ordained Catholic clergy, members of the Swiss Guard, or their immediate family, they arguably have consented to obey the Pope or are minors. (Citizenship is jus officiicode: lat promoted to code: la , on the grounds of appointment to work in a certain capacity in the service of the Holy See and usually ceases upon cessation of the appointment. Citizenship is also extended to the spouse and children of a citizen, provided they are living together in the city. Some individuals are also authorized to reside in the city but do not qualify or choose not to request citizenship.)[35]

References

Chen Hang (2018). "The New Development of the National President System in China——The Semi-Presidential System Combining Party and Government in the Actual Operation". Journal of Xinxiang University. 35 (1).
"How the Chinese government works". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 12 May 2018. Retrieved 1 December 2019. Xi Jinping is the most powerful figure in China's political system, and his influence mainly comes from his position as the General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party.
Chris Buckley and Adam Wu (10 March 2018). "Ending Term Limits for China's Xi Is a Big Deal. Here's Why. - Is the presidency powerful in China?". New York Times. Archived from the original on 12 March 2018. Retrieved 1 December 2019. In China, the political job that matters most is the general secretary of the Communist Party. The party controls the military and domestic security forces, and sets the policies that the government carries out. China’s presidency lacks the authority of the American and French presidencies.
"COM+", COM Programming by Example, CRC Press, pp. 94–119, 6 January 2000, doi:10.1201/9781482287103-12, ISBN 978-0-429-08234-4, retrieved 19 January 2021
"Constitution of Belarus from 1994 (rev. 2004)". www.constituteproject.org.
"Nazarbaev Signs Kazakh Constitutional Amendments into Law". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 10 March 2017. Retrieved 10 March 2017. For more information: please see Abdurasulov, Abdujalil (6 March 2017). "Kazakhstan constitution: Will changes bring democracy?". BBC News. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
Kudelia, Serhiy (4 May 2018). "Presidential activism and government termination in dual-executive Ukraine". Post-Soviet Affairs. 34 (4): 246–261. doi:10.1080/1060586X.2018.1465251. S2CID 158492144.
Elgie, Robert (2 January 2013). "Presidentialism, Parliamentarism and Semi-Presidentialism: Bringing Parties Back In" (PDF). Government and Opposition. 46 (3): 392–409. doi:10.1111/j.1477-7053.2011.01345.x.
"Austria's Constitution of 1920, Reinstated in 1945, with Amendments through 2009" (PDF). www.constituteproject.org. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
"Bulgaria's Constitution of 1991 with Amendments through 2015" (PDF). www.constituteproject.org. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
"Croatia's Constitution of 1991 with Amendments through 2010" (PDF). www.constituteproject.org. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
"Czech Republic 1993 (rev. 2013)". www.constituteproject.org. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
Manchester University Press, revised 2008 ISBN 9780719078538).
Nousiainen, Jaakko (June 2001). "From semi-presidentialism to parliamentary government: political and constitutional developments in Finland". Scandinavian Political Studies. 24 (2): 95–109. doi:10.1111/1467-9477.00048.
"Iceland's Constitution of 1944 with Amendments through 2013" (PDF). www.constituteproject.org. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
"Ireland's Constitution of 1937 with Amendments through 2012" (PDF). www.constituteproject.org. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
"Kyrgyzstan 2010 (rev. 2016)". www.constituteproject.org. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
"Moldova (Republic of) 1994 (rev. 2016)". www.constituteproject.org. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
"Montenegro 2007". www.constituteproject.org. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
"Serbia 2006". www.constituteproject.org. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
"Singapore 1963 (rev. 2016)". www.constituteproject.org. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
"Slovakia 1992 (rev. 2017)". www.constituteproject.org. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
"Slovenia 1991 (rev. 2013)". www.constituteproject.org. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
"Kiribati's Constitution of 1979 with Amendments through 1995" (PDF). www.constituteproject.org. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
"Marshall Islands 1979 (rev. 1995)". www.constituteproject.org. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
"Nauru 1968 (rev. 2015)". www.constituteproject.org. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
"South Africa's Constitution of 1996 with Amendments through 2012" (PDF). www.constituteproject.org. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
Shugart, Matthew Søberg (December 2005). "Semi-Presidential Systems: Dual Executive And Mixed Authority Patterns". French Politics. 3 (3): 323–351. doi:10.1057/palgrave.fp.8200087.
"Micronesia (Federated States of)'s Constitution of 1978 with Amendments through 1990" (PDF). www.constituteproject.org. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
"Scheda paese Repubblica di San Marino" (PDF) (in Italian). Segreteria di Stato Affari esteri. July 2012. p. 5.
"The Constitution". Stortinget. 4 September 2019.
"Europe :: Norway — The World Factbook - Central Intelligence Agency". www.cia.gov.
Stewart, Dona J. (2013). The Middle East Today: Political, Geographical and Cultural Perspectives. London and New York: Routledge. p. 155. ISBN 978-0415782432.
Day, Alan John (1996). Political Parties of The World. Stockton. p. 599. ISBN 1561591440.
"Law on citizenship, residence and access" (in Italian). Vatican City State. 11 February 2011.
Tofa, Moses (16 May 2013). "Swaziland: Wither absolute monarchism?". Pambazuka News (630). Archived from the original on 19 October 2014. Retrieved 19 October 2014.
"Swaziland: Africa′s last absolute monarchy". Deutsche Welle. 14 July 2014. Retrieved 19 October 2014.
"Q&A: Elections to Oman's Consultative Council". BBC News.
For more detailed discussion, see John McCormick, European Union Politics (Palgrave Macmillan, 2011), Chapters 1 and 2.

External links

Global Scan- Election Tracker
Countries categorized by system of government in 20th century at Historical Atlas of 20th Century
A Chronology of political history based on Government form
Political Chronology Chronological development of political history
Bertelsmann Transformation Index 2012

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.

[CHNhead-5] The President of China is legally a ceremonial office without considering the presidency held simultaneously by the General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party.[3]

[Ir-8] Iran combines the forms of a presidential republic, with a president elected by universal suffrage; and a theocracy, with a Supreme Leader who is ultimately responsible for state policy, chosen by the elected Assembly of Experts. Candidates for both the Assembly of Experts and the presidency are vetted by the appointed Guardian Council.

[12] Collective presidency consisting of three members; one for each major ethnic group.

[18] Formerly a semi-presidential republic, it is now a parliamentary republic according to David Arter, First Chair of Politics at Aberdeen University, who in his "Scandinavian Politics Today,"[13] he quotes[14] as follows: "There are hardly any grounds for the epithet 'semi-presidential'." Arter's own conclusions are only slightly more nuanced: "The adoption of a new constitution on 1 March 2000 meant that Finland was no longer a case of semi-presidential government other than in the minimalist sense of a situation where a popularly elected fixed-term president exists alongside a prime minister and cabinet who are responsible to parliament (Elgie 2004: 317)". According to the Finnish Constitution, the President has no possibility to rule the government without the ministerial approval, and substantially has not the power to disband the parliament under its own desire. Finland is actually represented by its Prime Minister, and not by its President, in the Council of the Heads of State and Government of the European Union. The 2012 constitutional amendments reduced the powers of the President even further.

[Bd-28] In Bangladesh, a caretaker government was in power during parliamentary elections. The Caretaker Government was headed by a Chief Adviser and a group of neutral, non-partisan advisers chosen from the civil society. During this time, the president had jurisdiction over the defence and foreign affairs ministries. But according to the 15th amendment of the Constitution of Bangladesh , the provisions of Caretaker Government is abolished.

[29] The president is elected by parliament and holds a parliamentary seat, much like a prime minister, but is immune from a vote of no confidence (but not their cabinet), unlike a prime minister. Although, if a vote of no confidence is successful and they do not resign, it triggers the dissolution of the legislature and new elections (per section 92 of the Constitution).

[Combo-35] Holds a parliamentary seat.

[37] Their two-person head of state and head of government, the Captains Regent, serve for six month terms, although they are not subject to parliamentary confidence during that time.

[CH-40] The President of Switzerland serves in a primus inter pares capacity amongst the Swiss Federal Council, the seven-member executive council which constitutes both the presidency and the government.

[and-43] The Bishop of Urgell and President of France serve as ex officio co-princes who have their interests known through a representative.

[Commonwealthrealm-44] One of sixteen constitutional monarchies which recognize Elizabeth II as head of state, who presides over an independent government. She is titled separately in each country (e.g. Queen of Australia), and notionally appoints a Governor-General (GG) to each country other than the United Kingdom to act as her representative. The prime minister (PM) is the active head of the executive branch of government and also leader of the legislature. These countries may be known as "Commonwealth realms".
In many cases, the Governor-General or monarch has a lot more theoretical, or constitutional, powers than they actually exercise, except on the advice of elected officials, per constitutional convention. For example, the Constitution of Australia makes the GG the head of the executive branch (including commander-in-chief of the armed forces), although they seldom ever use this power, except on the advice of elected officials, especially the PM, which makes the PM the de facto head of government.

[NZ-Monarch-45] The Cook Islands and Niue are under the sovereignty of the Monarch of New Zealand as self-governing states in free association with New Zealand. New Zealand and its associated states, along with Tokelau and the Ross Dependency, comprise the Realm of New Zealand.

[Va-49] The Vatican is an elective absolute monarchy and a Roman Catholic theocracy; its monarch, the Pope, is the head of the global Roman Catholic Church. His power within the Vatican City State is unlimited by any constitution; however, as all its citizens and its residents are ordained Catholic clergy, members of the Swiss Guard, or their immediate family, they arguably have consented to obey the Pope or are minors. (Citizenship is jus officiicode: lat promoted to code: la , on the grounds of appointment to work in a certain capacity in the service of the Holy See and usually ceases upon cessation of the appointment. Citizenship is also extended to the spouse and children of a citizen, provided they are living together in the city. Some individuals are also authorized to reside in the city but do not qualify or choose not to request citizenship.)[35]

[1] Chen Hang (2018). "The New Development of the National President System in China——The Semi-Presidential System Combining Party and Government in the Actual Operation". Journal of Xinxiang University. 35 (1).

[2] "How the Chinese government works". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 12 May 2018. Retrieved 1 December 2019. Xi Jinping is the most powerful figure in China's political system, and his influence mainly comes from his position as the General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party.

[Head_of_China-3] Chris Buckley and Adam Wu (10 March 2018). "Ending Term Limits for China's Xi Is a Big Deal. Here's Why. - Is the presidency powerful in China?". New York Times. Archived from the original on 12 March 2018. Retrieved 1 December 2019. In China, the political job that matters most is the general secretary of the Communist Party. The party controls the military and domestic security forces, and sets the policies that the government carries out. China’s presidency lacks the authority of the American and French presidencies.

[4] "COM+", COM Programming by Example, CRC Press, pp. 94–119, 6 January 2000, doi:10.1201/9781482287103-12, ISBN 978-0-429-08234-4, retrieved 19 January 2021

[BL-6] "Constitution of Belarus from 1994 (rev. 2004)". www.constituteproject.org.

[KZ-7] "Nazarbaev Signs Kazakh Constitutional Amendments into Law". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 10 March 2017. Retrieved 10 March 2017. For more information: please see Abdurasulov, Abdujalil (6 March 2017). "Kazakhstan constitution: Will changes bring democracy?". BBC News. Retrieved 7 March 2017.

[9] Kudelia, Serhiy (4 May 2018). "Presidential activism and government termination in dual-executive Ukraine". Post-Soviet Affairs. 34 (4): 246–261. doi:10.1080/1060586X.2018.1465251. S2CID 158492144.

[10] Elgie, Robert (2 January 2013). "Presidentialism, Parliamentarism and Semi-Presidentialism: Bringing Parties Back In" (PDF). Government and Opposition. 46 (3): 392–409. doi:10.1111/j.1477-7053.2011.01345.x.

[11] "Austria's Constitution of 1920, Reinstated in 1945, with Amendments through 2009" (PDF). www.constituteproject.org. Retrieved 12 January 2020.

[13] "Bulgaria's Constitution of 1991 with Amendments through 2015" (PDF). www.constituteproject.org. Retrieved 12 January 2020.

[14] "Croatia's Constitution of 1991 with Amendments through 2010" (PDF). www.constituteproject.org. Retrieved 12 January 2020.

[15] "Czech Republic 1993 (rev. 2013)". www.constituteproject.org. Retrieved 12 January 2020.

[16] Manchester University Press, revised 2008 ISBN 9780719078538).

[17] Nousiainen, Jaakko (June 2001). "From semi-presidentialism to parliamentary government: political and constitutional developments in Finland". Scandinavian Political Studies. 24 (2): 95–109. doi:10.1111/1467-9477.00048.

[19] "Iceland's Constitution of 1944 with Amendments through 2013" (PDF). www.constituteproject.org. Retrieved 12 January 2020.

[20] "Ireland's Constitution of 1937 with Amendments through 2012" (PDF). www.constituteproject.org. Retrieved 12 January 2020.

[21] "Kyrgyzstan 2010 (rev. 2016)". www.constituteproject.org. Retrieved 12 January 2020.

[22] "Moldova (Republic of) 1994 (rev. 2016)". www.constituteproject.org. Retrieved 12 January 2020.

[23] "Montenegro 2007". www.constituteproject.org. Retrieved 12 January 2020.

[24] "Serbia 2006". www.constituteproject.org. Retrieved 12 January 2020.

[25] "Singapore 1963 (rev. 2016)". www.constituteproject.org. Retrieved 12 January 2020.

[26] "Slovakia 1992 (rev. 2017)". www.constituteproject.org. Retrieved 12 January 2020.

[27] "Slovenia 1991 (rev. 2013)". www.constituteproject.org. Retrieved 12 January 2020.

[30] "Kiribati's Constitution of 1979 with Amendments through 1995" (PDF). www.constituteproject.org. Retrieved 12 January 2020.

[31] "Marshall Islands 1979 (rev. 1995)". www.constituteproject.org. Retrieved 15 January 2020.

[32] "Nauru 1968 (rev. 2015)". www.constituteproject.org. Retrieved 15 January 2020.

[33] "South Africa's Constitution of 1996 with Amendments through 2012" (PDF). www.constituteproject.org. Retrieved 12 January 2020.

[34] Shugart, Matthew Søberg (December 2005). "Semi-Presidential Systems: Dual Executive And Mixed Authority Patterns". French Politics. 3 (3): 323–351. doi:10.1057/palgrave.fp.8200087.

[36] "Micronesia (Federated States of)'s Constitution of 1978 with Amendments through 1990" (PDF). www.constituteproject.org. Retrieved 11 January 2020.

[38] "Scheda paese Repubblica di San Marino" (PDF) (in Italian). Segreteria di Stato Affari esteri. July 2012. p. 5.

[41] "The Constitution". Stortinget. 4 September 2019.

[42] "Europe :: Norway — The World Factbook - Central Intelligence Agency". www.cia.gov.

[46] Stewart, Dona J. (2013). The Middle East Today: Political, Geographical and Cultural Perspectives. London and New York: Routledge. p. 155. ISBN 978-0415782432.

[47] Day, Alan John (1996). Political Parties of The World. Stockton. p. 599. ISBN 1561591440.

[48] "Law on citizenship, residence and access" (in Italian). Vatican City State. 11 February 2011.

[50] Tofa, Moses (16 May 2013). "Swaziland: Wither absolute monarchism?". Pambazuka News (630). Archived from the original on 19 October 2014. Retrieved 19 October 2014.

[51] "Swaziland: Africa′s last absolute monarchy". Deutsche Welle. 14 July 2014. Retrieved 19 October 2014.

[52] "Q&A: Elections to Oman's Consultative Council". BBC News.

[53] For more detailed discussion, see John McCormick, European Union Politics (Palgrave Macmillan, 2011), Chapters 1 and 2.