African countries with a monarchical form of government. Which countries in Africa are monarchies

In the modern world, there are just over 230 states and self-governing territories with international status. Of these, only 41 states have a monarchical form of government, not counting several dozen territories under the rule of the British crown. It would seem that in the modern world a clear advantage is on the side of the republican states. But upon closer examination, it turns out that these countries mostly belong to the third world and were formed as a result of the collapse of the colonial system. Often established along colonial administrative lines, these states are highly unstable entities. They can be fragmented and modified, which is seen, for example, in Iraq. They are engulfed in ongoing conflicts, like a significant number of countries in Africa. And it is absolutely obvious that they are not included in the category of advanced states.

Today, the monarchy is an extremely flexible and diverse system ranging from a tribal form that successfully operates in Arab states Middle East, to the monarchical version of the democratic state in many European countries.

Here is a list of states with a monarchical system and territories under their crown:

Europe

* Andorra - co-princes Nicolas Sarkozy (since 2007) and Joan Enric Vives y Cicilla (since 2003)
* Belgium - King Albert II (since 1993)
* Vatican - Pope Benedict XVI (since 2005)
* Great Britain - Queen Elizabeth II (since 1952)
* Denmark - Queen Margrethe II (since 1972)
* Spain - King Juan Carlos I (since 1975)
* Liechtenstein - Prince Hans-Adam II (since 1989)
* Luxembourg - Grand Duke Henri (since 2000)
* Monaco - Prince Albert II (since 2005)
* The Netherlands - Queen Beatrix (since 1980)
* Norway - King Harald V (since 1991)
* Sweden - King Carl XVI Gustaf (since 1973)

Asia.

* Bahrain - King Hamad ibn Isa al-Khalifa (since 2002, emir in 1999-2002)
* Brunei - Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah (since 1967)
* Bhutan - King Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck (since 2006)
* Jordan - King Abdullah II (since 1999)
* Cambodia - King Norodom Sihamoni (since 2004)
* Qatar - Emir Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani (since 1995)
* Kuwait - Emir of Sabah al-Ahmed al-Jaber al-Sabah (since 2006)
* Malaysia - King Mizan Zainal Abidin (since 2006)
* United United Arab Emirates UAE - President Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan (since 2004)
* Oman - Sultan Qaboos bin Said (since 1970)
* Saudi Arabia - King Abdullah ibn Abdulaziz al-Saud (since 2005)
* Thailand - King Bhumibol Adulyadej (since 1946)
* Japan - Emperor Akihito (since 1989)

Africa

* Lesotho - King Letsie III (since 1996, first time in 1990-1995)
* Morocco - King Mohammed VI (since 1999)
* Swaziland - King Mswati III (since 1986)

Oceania

* Tonga - King George Tupou V (since 2006)

Dominions

In the dominions, or Commonwealth realms, the head is the monarch of Great Britain, represented by a governor-general.

America

* Antigua and Barbuda Antigua and Barbuda
* Bahamas Bahamas
* Barbados
* Belize
* Grenada
* Canada
* Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
* Saint Kitts and Nevis
* Saint Lucia
* Jamaica

Oceania

* Australia
* New Zealand
* Niue
* Papua New Guinea
* Solomon islands
* Tuvalu

Asia holds the first place in the number of countries with monarchical statehood. This is a progressive and democratic Japan. The leaders of the Muslim world are Saudi Arabia, Brunei, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan, Bahrain, Oman. Two monarchical confederations - Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates. And also - Thailand, Cambodia, Bhutan.

Second place belongs to Europe. The monarchy is represented here not only in a limited form - in the countries occupying a leading position in the EEC (Great Britain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, etc.). But also an absolute form of government - in the "dwarf" states: Monaco, Liechtenstein, Vatican.

Third place - for the countries of Polynesia, and fourth for Africa, where at the present time only three full-fledged monarchies have survived: Morocco, Lesotho, Swaziland, plus several hundred "tourist" ones.

Nevertheless, a number of republican countries are forced to put up with the presence of traditional local monarchical or tribal formations on their territory, and even enshrine their rights in the constitution. These include: Uganda, Nigeria, Indonesia, Chad and others. Even countries such as India and Pakistan, which abolished the sovereign rights of local monarchs (khans, sultans, rajas, maharajas) in the early 70s of the 20th century, are often forced to accept the existence of these rights, which is called de facto. Governments turn to the authority of the holders of monarchical rights in resolving regional religious, ethnic, cultural disputes and other conflict situations.

stability and well-being

Of course, the monarchy does not automatically solve all social, economic and political problems. But, nevertheless, it can provide a certain amount of stability and balance in the political, social and national structure of society. That is why even those countries where it exists only nominally, say, Canada or Australia, are in no hurry to get rid of the monarchy. The political elite of these countries, for the most part, understands how important it is for the balance in society that the supreme power be a priori enshrined in the same hands and political circles do not lead opposition for it, but work in the name of the interests of the entire nation.

Moreover, historical experience shows that the best social security systems in the world are built in monarchical states. And we are talking not only about the monarchies of Scandinavia, where even the Soviet agitprop in monarchical Sweden managed to find a variant of "socialism with a human face." Such a system is built in the modern countries of the Persian Gulf, where there is often much less oil than in some fields of the Russian Federation. Despite this, for 40-60 years since the independence of the Persian Gulf countries, without revolutions and civil wars, liberalization of everything and everyone, without utopian social experiments, in conditions of harsh, sometimes absolutist, political system, in the absence of parliamentarism and a constitution, when all the bowels of the country belong to one ruling family, from poor Bedouins herding camels, most of the subjects of the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and other neighboring states, have become quite wealthy citizens.

Without delving into the endless enumeration of the advantages of the Arab social system, only a few strokes can be given. Any citizen of the country has the right to free medical care, including that which is provided in any, even the most expensive, clinic located in any country in the world. Also, every citizen of the country has the right to free education, coupled with free content, in any higher educational institution world (Cambridge, Oxford, Yale, Sorbonne). Housing is provided to young families at the expense of the state. The Persian Gulf monarchies are truly welfare states in which all conditions for the progressive growth of the welfare of the population are created.

Turning from flourishing Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar to their neighbors in the Persian Gulf and the Arabian Peninsula, who for a number of reasons abandoned the monarchy (Yemen, Iraq, Iran), we will see a striking difference in the internal climate of these states.

Who strengthens the unity of the people?

As historical experience shows, in multinational states, the integrity of the country is primarily associated with the monarchy. We see this in the past, for example Russian Empire, Austria-Hungary, Yugoslavia, Iraq. The coming to replace the monarchical regime, as it was, for example, in Yugoslavia and Iraq, no longer has that authority and is forced to resort to cruelties that were not characteristic of the monarchical system of government. With the slightest weakening of this regime, the state, as a rule, is doomed to disintegration. So it was with Russia (USSR), we see it in Yugoslavia and Iraq. The abolition of the monarchy in a number of modern countries would inevitably lead to the cessation of their existence as multinational, united states. This primarily applies to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia. So the year 2007 clearly showed that in the conditions of the parliamentary crisis that arose due to the national contradictions of the Flemish and Walloon politicians, only the authority of King Albert II of the Belgians kept Belgium from disintegrating into two or even more independent state entities. In multilingual Belgium, a joke was even born that the unity of its people is held together by only three things - beer, chocolate and the king. Whereas the abolition of the monarchical system in 2008 in Nepal plunged this state into a chain of political crises and permanent civil confrontation.

The second half of the 20th century provides us with several successful examples of the return of peoples who survived an era of instability, civil wars and other conflicts to a monarchical form of government. The most famous and, undoubtedly, in many respects a successful example is Spain. Having gone through a civil war, an economic crisis and a right-wing dictatorship, it returned to a monarchical form of government, taking its rightful place among the family of European peoples. Cambodia is another example. Also, monarchical regimes at the local level were restored in Uganda, after the fall of the dictatorship of Marshal Idi Amin (1928-2003), and in Indonesia, which, after the departure of General Mohammed-Khoja Sukarto (1921-2008), is experiencing a real monarchical renaissance. One of the local sultanates was restored in this country two centuries later, after it was destroyed by the Dutch.

Restoration ideas are quite strong in Europe, first of all, this applies to the Balkan countries (Serbia, Montenegro, Albania and Bulgaria), where many politicians, public and spiritual figures constantly have to speak out on this issue, and in some cases even support the heads of the Royal Houses, former in exile. This is proved by the experience of King Leka of Albania, who almost carried out an armed coup in his country, and the amazing successes of Tsar Simeon II of Bulgaria, who created his own national movement, named after him, who managed to become the country's prime minister and is currently the leader of the largest opposition party. in the Parliament of Bulgaria, which entered the coalition government.

Among the existing monarchies there are quite a few that are openly absolutist in their essence, although they are forced, bringing tribute to the times, to dress up in the clothes of popular representation and democracy. European monarchs in most cases do not even use the rights given to them by the constitution.

And here the Principality of Liechtenstein occupies a special place on the map of Europe. Sixty years ago, it was a large village that, by an absurd accident, gained independence. However, now, thanks to the activities of Prince Franz Joseph II and his son and successor, Prince Hans Adam II, this is one of the largest business and financial centers that has managed not to succumb to the promises of creating a "single European home", to defend its sovereignty and an independent view of its own state device.

The stability of the political and economic systems of the majority of monarchical countries makes them not only not outdated, but progressive and attractive, makes them equal to them in a number of ways.

So the monarchy is not an attachment to stability and prosperity, but an additional resource that makes it easier to endure the disease, recover faster from political and economic adversity.

Without a king at the head

The situation is quite common in the world when there is no monarchy in the country, but there are monarchs (sometimes they are outside the country). The heirs of royal families either claim (even formally) the throne lost by their ancestors, or, having lost official power, retain real impact for the life of the country. Here is a list of such states.

Austria
The monarchy ceased to exist in 1918 after the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The contender for the throne is Archduke Otto von Habsburg, son of the deposed Emperor Charles.
Albania
The monarchy ceased to exist in 1944 after the communists came to power. The pretender to the throne is Leka, son of the deposed King Zog I.
Andorra Principality, whose nominal co-rulers are the President of France and the Bishop of Urgell (Spain); some observers consider it necessary to classify Andorra as a monarchy.
Afghanistan
The monarchy ceased to exist in 1973 after the overthrow of King Mohammed Zahir Shah, who returned to the country in 2002 after a long stay in Italy, but did not become actively involved in political life.
Benin Republic,
important role in whose life traditional kings (ahosu) and tribal leaders play. The most famous is the current ruling king (ahosu) of Abomey - Agoli Agbo III, the 17th representative of his dynasty.
Bulgaria
The monarchy ceased to exist after the overthrow of Tsar Simeon II in 1946. Decree on the nationalization of lands belonging to royal family, was canceled in 1997. Since 2001 former king occupies the post of Prime Minister of Bulgaria under the name of Simeon of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.
Botswana
Republic since independence in 1966. The number of deputies of one of the chambers of the country's parliament - the chamber of leaders - includes the leaders (kgosi) of the eight largest tribes of the country.
Brazil
Republic since the abdication of Emperor Don Pedro II in 1889. The pretender to the throne is the great-great-grandson of the abdicated emperor, Prince Luis Gastao.
Burkina Faso
Republic since independence in 1960. On the territory of the country is a large number of traditional states, the most significant of which is Vogogogo (on the territory of the country's capital Ouagudugou), where the ruler (moogo-naaba) Baongo II is currently on the throne.
Vatican
Theocracy (some analysts consider it a form of monarchy - an absolute theocratic monarchy - however, it should be borne in mind that it is not and cannot be hereditary).
Hungary
The republic since 1946, before that since 1918 was a nominal monarchy - the regent ruled in the absence of the king. Until 1918, it was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire (the emperors of Austria were also kings of Hungary), so the potential contender for the Hungarian royal throne is the same as in Austria.
East Timor
Republic since independence in 2002. On the territory of the country there are a number of traditional states, the rulers of which have the titles of rajas.
Vietnam
The monarchy on the territory of the country finally ceased to exist in 1955, when a republic was proclaimed in South Vietnam as a result of a referendum. Previously, in 1945, the last Emperor Bao Dai had already abdicated, but the French authorities returned him to the country in 1949 and gave him the post of head of state. The contender for the throne is the emperor's son, Prince Bao Long.
Gambia
Republic since 1970 (from independence in 1965 until the proclamation of the republic, the head of state was the Queen of Great Britain). In 1995, Yvonne Prior, a Dutch woman from Suriname, was recognized as the reincarnation of one of the kings of antiquity and proclaimed queen of the Mandingo people.
Ghana
Republic since 1960 (from independence in 1957 until the proclamation of the republic, the head of state was the Queen of Great Britain). The Ghanaian constitution guarantees the right of traditional rulers (sometimes called kings, sometimes chiefs) to participate in the management of the affairs of the state.
Germany
Republic since the overthrow of the monarchy in 1918. The pretender to the throne is Prince Georg Friedrich of Prussia, great-great-grandson of Kaiser Wilhelm II.
Greece
The monarchy officially ceased to exist as a result of a referendum in 1974. King Constantine of Greece, who fled the country after a military coup in 1967, currently resides in the UK. In 1994, the Greek government stripped the king of his citizenship and confiscated his property in Greece. The royal family is currently challenging this decision at the International Court of Human Rights.
Georgia
Republic since independence in 1991. The pretender to the throne of the Georgian kingdom, which lost its independence as a result of joining Russia in 1801, is George Iraklievich Bagration-Mukhransky, Prince of Georgia.
Egypt
The monarchy existed until the overthrow of King Ahmad Fuad II of Egypt and Sudan in 1953. Currently, the former king, who at the time of the loss of the throne was just over a year old, lives in France.
Iraq
The monarchy ceased to exist in 1958 as a result of the revolution, during which King Faisal II was assassinated. Claims to the Iraqi throne are made by Prince Ra'ad bin Zeid, brother of King Faisal I of Iraq, and Prince Sharif Ali bin Ali Hussein, great-nephew of the same king.
Iran The monarchy ceased to exist in 1979 after the revolution, which resulted in the overthrow of Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi. The contender for the throne is the son of the deposed Shah, Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi.
Italy
The monarchy ceased to exist in 1946 as a result of a referendum, King Umberto II was forced to leave the country. The pretender to the throne is the son of the last king, Crown Prince Victor Emmanuel, Duke of Savoy.
Yemen
The republic emerged from the unification of North and South Yemen in 1990. On the territory of North Yemen, the monarchy ceased to exist in 1962. The sultanates and principalities on the territory of South Yemen were liquidated after the declaration of its independence in 1967. The pretender to the throne is Prince Ahmad al-Ghani bin Mohammed al-Mutawakkil.
Cameroon
Republic since independence in 1960. There are a large number of traditional sultanates on the territory of the country, the heads of which often hold high government positions. Among the most famous traditional rulers is the Sultan of Bamun, Ibrahim Mbombo Njoya, Sultan (Baba) of the Kingdom of Rey Buba Buba Abdoulaye.
Congo(Democratic Republic of the Congo, formerly Zaire)
Republic since independence in 1960. There are a number of traditional kingdoms throughout the country. The most famous are: the Kingdom of Cuba (King Kwete Mboke is on the throne); the kingdom of Luba (king, sometimes also called emperor, Kabongo Jacques); the state of Ruund (Luunda), headed by the ruler (mwaant yaav) Mbumb II Muteb.
Congo(Republic of the Congo)
Republic since independence in 1960. In 1991, the country's authorities restored the institution of traditional leaders (revising their decision 20 years ago). The most famous among the leaders is the head of the traditional kingdom of Teke - King (oonko) Makoko XI.
Korea
(DPRK and the Republic of Korea) The monarchy ceased to exist in 1945 due to the surrender of Japan, in 1945-1948 the country was under the control of the allied powers that won the Second World War, in 1948 two republics were proclaimed on the territory of the Korean Peninsula. Due to the fact that from 1910 to 1945 the rulers of Korea were vassals of Japan, it is customary to classify them as part of the Japanese imperial family. The pretender to the Korean throne is the representative of this surname Prince Kyu Ri (sometimes his surname is written as Lee). On the territory of the DPRK, there is de facto a hereditary form of government, but de jure it is not stipulated in the legislation of the country.
Ivory Coast
Republic since independence in 1960. On the territory of the country (and partly on the territory of neighboring Ghana) is the traditional kingdom of Abrons (ruled by King Nanan Ajumani Kouassi Adingra).
Laos
The monarchy ceased to exist in 1975 as a result of the communist revolution. In 1977, all members of the royal family were sent to a concentration camp ("re-education camp"). The king's two sons, Prince Sulivong Savang and Prince Danyavong Savang, were able to escape from Laos in 1981-1982. There is no official information about the fate of the king, queen, crown prince and other family members. According to unofficial reports, they all died of starvation in a concentration camp. Prince Sulivong Savang, as the eldest surviving male of the family, is the formal pretender to the throne.
Libya
The monarchy ceased to exist in 1969. After the coup organized by Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, King Idris I, who was abroad during the coup, was forced to abdicate. The pretender to the throne is the official heir to the king (the adopted son of his cousin) Prince Mohammed al-Hasan al-Rida.
Malawi
Republic since 1966 (from the moment of independence in 1964 until the proclamation of the Republic, the head of state was the Queen of Great Britain). An important role in the political life of the country is played by the supreme leader (inkosi i makosi) Mmbelwa IV from the Ngoni dynasty.
Maldives
The monarchy ceased to exist after a referendum in 1968 (during the period of British rule, that is, before independence in 1965, the country once became a republic for a short time). The formal contender for the throne, however, who never declared his claims, is Prince Mohammed Nureddin, son of the Sultan of the Maldives Hassan Nureddin II (reigned 1935-1943).
Mexico
The monarchy ceased to exist in 1867 after the execution by the revolutionaries of the ruler of the empire proclaimed in 1864, Archduke Maximilian of Austria. Earlier, in 1821-1823, the country had already once been an independent state with a monarchical form of structure. Representatives of the Iturbide dynasty, whose ancestor was the Mexican emperor during this period, are pretenders to the Mexican throne. The head of the Iturbide family is Baroness Maria (II) Anna Tankl Iturbide.
Mozambique
Republic since independence in 1975. On the territory of the country is the traditional state of Manyika, whose ruler (mambo) is Mutasa Pafiva.
Myanmar
(until 1989 Burma) Republic since independence in 1948. The monarchy ceased to exist in 1885 after the annexation of Burma to British India. The pretender to the throne is Prince Hteiktin Tau Paya, grandson of the last king Thibau Ming.
Namibia
Republic since independence in 1990. A number of tribes are ruled by traditional rulers. The role of traditional leaders is at least indicated by the fact that Hendrik Witboui served as deputy head of government for several years.
Niger
Republic since independence in 1960. There are a number of traditional states on the territory of the country. Their rulers and tribal elders choose their own political and religious leader, who bears the title of Sultan of Zinder (the title is not hereditary). Currently, the title of the 20th Sultan of Zinder is held by Haji Mamadou Mustafa.
Nigeria
Republic since 1963 (from independence in 1960 until the proclamation of the republic, the head of state was the Queen of Great Britain). There are about 100 traditional states on the territory of the country, the rulers of which bear both the familiar-sounding titles of sultan or emir, as well as more exotic ones: aku uka, olu, igwe, amanyanabo, tortiv, alafin, both, obi, ataoja, oroje, olubaka, ohimege (most often this means in translation "leader" or "supreme leader").
Palau(Belau)
Republic since independence in 1994. Legislative power is exercised by the House of Delegates (council of chiefs), which includes the traditional rulers of the 16 provinces of Palau. Yutaka Gibbons, the paramount chief (ibedul) of Koror, the main city of the country, enjoys the greatest authority.
Portugal
The monarchy ceased to exist in 1910 as a result of the escape from the country of King Manuel II, who feared for his life in connection with an armed uprising. The pretender to the throne is the house of Duarte III Pio, Duke of Braganza.
Russia
The monarchy ceased to exist after the February Revolution of 1917. Although there are several contenders for Russian throne, the majority of monarchists recognize Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna, great-great-granddaughter of Emperor Alexander II, as the legitimate heiress.
Romania
The monarchy ceased to exist after the abdication of King Michael I in 1947. After the collapse of communism, the former king visited his native country several times. In 2001, the Romanian parliament granted him the rights of the former head of state - a residence, a private car with a driver and a salary of 50% of the salary of the country's president.
Serbia
Along with Montenegro, it was part of Yugoslavia until 2002 (the rest of the republics seceded from Yugoslavia in 1991). In Yugoslavia, the monarchy finally ceased to exist in 1945 (since 1941, King Peter II was outside the country). After his death, his son, heir to the throne, Prince Alexander (Karageorgievich) became the head of the royal house.
USA
Republic since independence in 1776. On the Hawaiian Islands(annexed to the United States in 1898, acquired statehood in 1959) until 1893 there was a monarchy. The pretender to the Hawaiian throne is Prince Quentin Kuhio Kawananakoa, a direct descendant of the last Hawaiian queen Liliuokalani.
Tanzania
The republic was formed in 1964 as a result of the unification of Tanganyika and Zanzibar. On the island of Zanzibar, shortly before the unification, the monarchy was overthrown. The 10th Sultan of Zanzibar Jamshid bin Abdullah was forced to leave the country. In 2000, the Tanzanian authorities announced the rehabilitation of the monarch and that he has the right to return to his homeland as an ordinary citizen.
Tunisia
The monarchy ended in 1957 next year after the declaration of independence. The contender for the throne is Crown Prince Sidi Ali Ibrahim.
Turkey Proclaimed a republic in 1923 (the Sultanate was abolished a year earlier and the Caliphate a year later). The pretender to the throne is Prince Osman VI.
Uganda
Republic since 1963 (from independence in 1962 until the proclamation of the republic, the head of state was the Queen of Great Britain). Some traditional kingdoms on the territory of the country were liquidated in 1966-1967 and almost all were restored in 1993-1994. Others managed to avoid liquidation.
Philippines
Republic since independence in 1946. There are many traditional sultanates on the territory of the country. 28 of them are concentrated in the area of Lake Lanao (Mindanao Island). The Philippine government officially recognizes the confederation of the Sultans of Lanao (Ranao) as a political force representing the interests of certain segments of the island's population. The throne of the Sultanate of Sulu (located on the archipelago of the same name) is claimed by at least six people representing two clans, which is explained by various political and financial benefits.
France
The monarchy was abolished in 1871. Heirs of various families claim the French throne: Prince Henry of Orleans, Count of Paris and Duke of France (Orleanist pretender); Louis Alphonse de Bourbon, Duke of Anjou (Legitimist pretender) and Prince Charles Bonaparte, Prince Napoleon (Bonapartist pretender).
Central African Republic
After gaining independence from France in 1960, a republic was proclaimed. Colonel Jean-Bedel Bokassa, who came to power in 1966 as a result of a military coup, in 1976 proclaimed the country an empire, and himself emperor. In 1979 Bokassa was overthrown and the Central African Empire became the Central African Republic again. The contender for the throne is the son of Bokassa, Crown Prince Jean-Bedel Georges Bokassa.
Chad Republic since independence in 1960. Among the numerous traditional states on the territory of Chad, two should be singled out: the Bagirmi and Wadari sultanates (both were formally liquidated after the declaration of independence and restored in 1970). Sultan (mbang) Bagirmi - Muhammad Yusuf, Sultan (kolak) Vadari - Ibrahim ibn-Muhammad Urada.
Montenegro See Serbia
Ethiopia
The monarchy ceased to exist in 1975 after the abolition of the post of emperor. The last of the reigning emperors was Haile Selassie I, belonging to the dynasty, the founders of which are considered to be Menelik I, son of Solomon, king of Israel, from the queen of Sheba. In 1988, in a private ceremony in London, Haile Selassie's son, Amha Selassie I, was proclaimed the new Emperor of Ethiopia (in exile).
Republic of South Africa
Since 1961 (from the moment of independence in 1910 until the proclamation of the republic, the Queen of Great Britain was the head of state). Tribal leaders (amakosi), as well as the ruler of the traditional kingdom of KwaZulu, Goodwill Zwelitini KaBekuzulu, play an important role in the life of the country. Separately, it is worth highlighting the supreme leader of the Tembu tribe, Baelekhai Dalindiebo a Sabata, who, in accordance with the customs of the tribe, is considered the nephew of former South African President Nelson Mandela. The leader of the tribe is also a well-known politician, leader of the Inkata Freedom Party Mangosutu Gatshi Buthelezi from the Buthelezi tribe. During the apartheid period, the South African authorities created ten "autonomous" formations on a tribal basis, which were called bantustans (homelands). In 1994

And now a little about the features of the monarchy in African style.

African autocrats.

Benin. Joseph Langanfen, a representative of the Abomi dynasty, is the president of KAFRA, the council of the Abomi royal families.

The offspring of the dynasties that entered the history of Africa until the beginning of the twentieth century are the bearers of the secret power with which "modern governments" must coexist.

Unlike the Indian maharjas, they survived the upheavals of history and exist, as it were, in parallel world which remains very real. However, for some Africans, they are the epitome of a backward, archaic system that succumbed to the onslaught of Western colonization. They are accused of tribal conservatism, which prevents traditional African societies from moving towards the formation of modern-type states.

For others, these kings are the guarantors of the old culture in the face of an uncertain future. Be that as it may, they are still present in different countries, and this reality must be reckoned with.

Nigeria. Igwe Kenneth Nnaji Onimeke Orizu III. Obi (king) of the Nnevi tribe. When he was proclaimed king in 1963, Igwe was a farmer, and his 10 wives bore him 30 children. Located on the east of the Niger River, the main city of the tribe has several millionaires.

Benin. Agboli-Agbo Dejlani. Abomi King. A former police officer, he had to wait six years for his retirement before he was finally proclaimed in a secret ceremony the head of one of the Abomi clans. By nature, the monogamous king had to take two more wives, as it should be by rank.

Nigeria. In 1980, Sijuwade became the 50th oni (king) of Ilfa, one of the oldest African dynasties. Today he is the richest businessman, owning extensive property in Nigeria and England.

Cameroon. Fon (King) Banjuna is the brother of bold and powerful animals. At night, he can transform into a panther and hunt in a shroud. Formerly Chief Administrator and Head of Cabinet of the Minister of Finance of Cameroon, Kamga Joseph is now the 13th Fon of his tribe.

Ghana. Osediyo ado Danqua III. A graduate of the University of London and an economic adviser to the administration of Ghana, the King of Akropong has been living in the "holy places" of the Akuarem Asona, one of the seven main clans of the Akan tribe, for the past sixteen years.

Congo. Nyimi Kok Mabintsh III, King of Cuba. Now he is 50, he ascended the throne at the age of 20. He is considered a descendant of the creator god and possessor of supernatural powers. He has no right to sit on the ground and cross cultivated fields. And no one has ever seen him eat.

South Africa. Goodwill Zweletini, king of the Zulus. He is a direct descendant of the legendary Chak Zulu, the founder of the kingdom, whose military genius is sometimes compared to Napoleon.

Nigeria. Both Joseph Adecola Ogunoi. Tin (king) of the Ovo tribe. 600 years ago, the first monarch of the dynasty fell in love with a beautiful girl who turned out to be a goddess. She became his wife, but demanded that every year the people hold festivals in her honor with a sacrifice. This is still happening, but human sacrifices - necessarily a man and a woman - were replaced with a sheep and a goat.

Cameroon. Hapi IV, King of Ban. This royal dynasty is associated with a real tragedy. In the middle of the 12th century, several Bamileke clans settled in small villages around Ban. Legend has it that one of the village elders, Mfenge, was accused of witchcraft. In order to justify himself, he cut off his mother's head, and local shamans studied the corpse. Claims that witchcraft was transmitted through the "womb" were not proven, and Mfenge himself was made king.

These are Their African Majesties. 21st century.

No. p / p	Region	Country	Form of government
	E V R O P A	United Kingdom (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland)	KM
	Spain (Kingdom of Spain)	KM
	Belgium (Kingdom of Belgium)	KM
	Netherlands (Kingdom of the Netherlands)	KM
	Monaco (Principality of Monaco)	KM
	Liechtenstein (Principality of Liechtenstein)	KM
	Sweden (Kingdom of Sweden)	KM
	Norway (Kingdom of Norway)	KM
	Denmark (Kingdom of Denmark)	KM
	Luxembourg (Grand Duchy of Luxembourg)	KM
	Andorra (Principality of Andorra)	KM
	Vatican	ATM
	A Z I	Brunei (Brunei Darussalam)	ATM
	Saudi Arabia (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia)	ATM
	Qatar (State of Qatar)	AM
	Oman (Sultanate of Oman)	AM
	Kuwait (State of Kuwait)	KM
	Bahrain (State of Bahrain)	KM
	United Arab Emirates (UAE)	KM
	Bhutan (Kingdom of Bhutan)	KM
	Cambodia (Kingdom of Cambodia)	KM
	Thailand (Kingdom of Thailand)	KM
	Malaysia (Federation of Malaysia)	KM
	Japan	KM
	Jordan (Jordanian Hashemite Kingdom)	KM
	AFRICA	Morocco (Kingdom of Morocco)	KM
	Swaziland (Kingdom of Swaziland)	KM
	Lesotho (Kingdom of Lesotho)	KM
	Oceania	Tonga (Kingdom of Tonga)	KM

Note: CM - constitutional monarchy;

AM - absolute monarchy;

ATM is an absolute theocratic monarchy.

Republican form of government arose in antiquity, but became most widespread during the periods of the new and recent history. In 1991, there were 127 republics in the world, but after the collapse of the USSR and Yugoslavia, they total number exceeded 140.

Under a republican system, the legislature usually belongs to the parliament, and the executive - to the government. At the same time, a distinction is made between presidential, parliamentary and mixed republics.

Presidential republic characterized by a significant role of the president in the system government agencies, the combination in his hands of the powers of the head of state and head of government. It is also called a dualistic republic, thereby emphasizing the fact that the strong executive power is concentrated in the hands of the president, and the legislative power is in the hands of the parliament.

Distinctive features of this form of government:

extra-parliamentary method of electing the president (either by the population - Brazil, France, or by the electoral college - the USA),

· extra-parliamentary method of forming the government, that is, it is formed by the president. The president is both formally and legally the head of government (there is no prime minister as in the United States), or he appoints the head of government. The government is only responsible to the president and not to the parliament, since only the president can dismiss him,

In general, with this form of government, the president has much greater powers compared to a parliamentary republic (he is the head of the executive branch, approves laws by signing, has the right to dismiss the government), but in a presidential republic, the president, as a rule, is deprived of the right to dissolve parliament , and the parliament is deprived of the right to express no confidence in the government, but can remove the president (impeachment procedure).

The classical presidential republic is the United States of America. The United States Constitution is based on the principle of separation of powers. According to this constitution, legislative power belongs to the Congress, executive - to the president, judicial - to the Supreme Court. The president, elected by the electoral college, forms the government from persons belonging to his party.

Presidential republics are common in Latin America. This form of government is also found in some countries of Asia and Africa. True, sometimes in these countries the power of the head of state actually goes beyond the constitutional framework, and, in particular, the Latin American presidential republics were characterized by researchers as super-presidential.

Parliamentary (parliamentary) republic characterized by the proclamation of the principle of the supremacy of parliament, to which the government bears full responsibility for its activities.

In such a republic, the government is formed by parliamentary means from among the deputies of the parties that have a majority of votes in parliament. It remains in power as long as it has the support of a parliamentary majority. This form of government exists in countries with developed, largely self-regulating economies (Italy, Turkey, Germany, Greece, Israel). Elections under such a system of democracy are usually held according to party lists, that is, voters do not vote for a candidate, but for a party.

The main function of the parliament, in addition to the legislative, is to control the government. In addition, the parliament has important financial powers, since it develops and adopts the state budget, determines the ways of the country's socio-economic development, and decides on the main issues of the state's domestic, foreign and defense policy.

The head of state in such republics, as a rule, is elected by the parliament or a specially formed broader board, which includes, along with members of the parliament, representatives of the subjects of the federation or representative regional self-government bodies. This is the main form of parliamentary control over the executive branch.

In Italy, for example, the president of the republic is elected by the members of both chambers at their joint meeting, but at the same time, three representatives from each region, elected by regional councils, participate in the elections. In the Federal Republic of Germany, the President is elected by the Federal Assembly, consisting of the members of the Bundestag and an equal number of persons elected by the Landtags on the basis of proportional representation. In parliamentary republics, elections can also be universal, for example, in Austria, where the president is elected by the population for a term of 6 years.

With this form state government talk about a "weak" president. However, the head of state has fairly broad powers. He promulgates laws, issues decrees, has the right to dissolve parliament, formally appoints the head of government (only the head of the party that won the election), is the commander in chief armed forces has the right to grant amnesty to convicts.

The president, being the head of state, is not the head of the executive branch, that is, the government. The prime minister is formally appointed by the president, but this can only be the head of the faction with a parliamentary majority, and not necessarily the head of the winning party. It should be noted that the government is competent to govern the state only when it enjoys the confidence of parliament.

mixed republic(also called a semi-presidential, semi-parliamentary, presidential-parliamentary republic) - a form of government that cannot be considered a variety of either a presidential or a parliamentary republic. Of the modern, mixed ones include the fifth republic in France (after 1962), Portugal, Armenia, Lithuania, Ukraine and Slovakia.

A special form of state government - socialist republic (which arose in the 20th century in a number of countries as a result of the victory of socialist revolutions). Its varieties: Soviet republic and the people's democratic republic (the former USSR, the countries of Eastern Europe until 1991, as well as China, Vietnam, North Korea, Cuba, which remain socialist republics to this day).

The republican form of government can be considered the most progressive and democratic. It was chosen for themselves not only by economically developed states, but also by most of the countries of Latin America, which freed themselves from colonial dependence in the last century, and almost all former colonies in Asia, which gained independence in the middle of our century, as well as African states, most of which achieved independence only in the 60-70s of the XX century. and even later.

At the same time, it must be borne in mind that such a progressive form of government by no means unifies the republics. They are quite different from each other in political, social and other respects.

It should be noted a peculiar form of government - interstate associations: Commonwealth, UK led (commonwealth) and Commonwealth of Independent States(CIS, which includes Russia).

Legally, the British Commonwealth of Nations was formalized back in 1931. Then it included Great Britain and its dominions - Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Union of South Africa, Newfoundland and Ireland. After the Second World War and the collapse of the British colonial empire, the Commonwealth included the absolute majority of the former possessions of Britain - about 50 countries with a total territory of more than 30 million km 2 and a population of over 1.2 billion people located in all parts of the world.

Members of the Commonwealth have the unconditional right to unilaterally withdraw from it whenever they wish. They were used by Myanmar (Burma), Ireland, Pakistan. All states that are members of the Commonwealth have full sovereignty in their internal and external affairs.

In Commonwealth states that have a republican form of government, the Queen of Great Britain is proclaimed "the head of the Commonwealth ... a symbol of a free association of independent states - its members." Some members of the Commonwealth - Canada, the Commonwealth of Australia (Australia), New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Tuvalu, Mauritius, Jamaica and some others - are officially referred to as "states within the Commonwealth". The supreme power in these countries formally continues to belong to the British monarch, who is represented in them by the governor-general, appointed on the recommendation of the government of this state. The supreme body of the Commonwealth is the conference of heads of government.

In 1991, simultaneously with the signing of the Belovezhskaya agreements on the dissolution of the USSR, it was decided to create Commonwealth of Independent States(Russia, Ukraine, Belarus). Subsequently, all the former republics of the USSR joined the CIS, except for the three Baltic states. Objectives: to promote the integration of the CIS member countries in the economic, political and humanitarian fields, to maintain and develop contacts and cooperation between peoples, government institutions Commonwealth countries. The CIS is an open organization for other countries to join. Over the years, sub-regional associations emerged within the CIS: the Central Asian Economic Community (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Russia, Georgia, Turkey and Ukraine were accepted as observers) and GUUAM (Georgia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Moldova). In 1996, the Customs Union was created, uniting the economic space of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan (subsequently Tajikistan joined them. In October 2000, on the basis of customs union The Eurasian Economic Community (EurAsEC) was formed. Military-political associations (for example, the Collective Security Treaty) continue to form among the CIS member countries. In September 2008, after the conflict in South Ossetia, Georgia announced its desire to leave the Commonwealth.

Form of government(administrative-territorial structure of states) is an important element of the political map of the world. It is directly related to the nature political system and the form of government, reflects the national-ethnic (in some cases also confessional) composition of the population, historical and geographical features of the formation of the country.

There are two main forms of administrative-territorial structure - unitary and federal.

unitary state - this is a single integral state formation, consisting of administrative-territorial units, which are subordinate to the central authorities and do not possess signs of state sovereignty. In a unitary state, there is usually a single legislative and executive power, a single system of state bodies, a single constitution. Such states in the world - the vast majority.

Federation - a form of structure in which several state entities that legally have a certain political independence form one union state.

Characteristic features federations:

The territory of the federation consists of the territories of its individual subjects (for example, states - in Australia, Brazil, Mexico, Venezuela, India, USA; provinces - in Argentina, Canada; cantons - in Switzerland; lands - in Germany and Austria; republics, as well as other administrative entities (autonomous districts, territories, regions - in Russia);

Federal subjects are usually given the right to adopt their own constitutions;

The competence between the federation and its subjects is delimited by the federal constitution;

Each subject of the federation has its own legal and judicial systems;

In most federations, there is a single union citizenship, as well as citizenship of union units;

The federation usually has a single armed forces, a federal budget.

In a number of federations in the union parliament there is a chamber representing the interests of the members of the federation.

However, in many modern federal states, the role of general federal bodies is so great that they can essentially be considered as unitary, rather than federal states. Thus, the constitutions of such federations as Argentina, Canada, the USA, Germany, Switzerland do not recognize the right of the members of the federation to secede from it.

Federations are built along territorial (USA, Canada, Australia, etc.) and national lines (Russia, India, Nigeria, etc.), which largely determine the nature, content, and structure of the state system.

Confederation - it is a temporary legal union of sovereign states, created to ensure their common interests (members of the confederation retain their sovereign rights in both internal and external affairs). Confederate states are short-lived: they either disintegrate or turn into federations (examples: the Swiss Union, Austria-Hungary, and the United States, where a federation of states was formed from a confederation established in 1781, enshrined in the US Constitution of 1787).

Most of the world's states are unitary. Today only 24 states are federations (Table 4).

It would seem that in the modern world a clear advantage is on the side of the republican states. But upon closer examination, it turns out that these countries mostly belong to the third world and were formed as a result of the collapse of the colonial system.

Often established along colonial administrative lines, these states are highly unstable entities. They can be fragmented and modified, which is seen, for example, in Iraq. They are engulfed in ongoing conflicts, like a significant number of countries in Africa. And it is absolutely obvious that they are not included in the category of advanced states.

Today monarchy- this is an extremely flexible and diverse system ranging from a tribal form, successfully operating in the Arab states of the Middle East, to a monarchical version of a democratic state in many European countries.

Here is a list of states with a monarchical system and territories under their crown:

Europe

Andorra - co-princes Nicolas Sarkozy (since 2007) and Joan Enric Vives y Cicilla (since 2003)

Belgium - King Albert II (since 1993)

Vatican - Pope Benedict XVI (since 2005)

Great Britain - Queen Elizabeth II (since 1952)

Denmark - Queen Margrethe II (since 1972)

Spain - King Juan Carlos I (since 1975)

Liechtenstein - Prince Hans-Adam II (since 1989)

Luxembourg - Grand Duke Henri (since 2000)

Monaco - Prince Albert II (since 2005)

Netherlands - Queen Beatrix (since 1980)

Norway - King Harald V (since 1991)

Sweden - King Carl XVI Gustaf (since 1973)

Asia

Bahrain - King Hamad ibn Isa al-Khalifa (since 2002, emir in 1999-2002)

Brunei - Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah (since 1967)

Bhutan - King Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck (since 2006)

Jordan - King Abdullah II (since 1999)

Cambodia - King Norodom Sihamoni (since 2004)

Qatar - Emir Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani (since 1995)

Kuwait - Emir of Sabah al-Ahmed al-Jaber al-Sabah (since 2006)

Malaysia - King Mizan Zainal Abidin (since 2006)

United Arab Emirates UAE- President Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan (since 2004)

Oman - Sultan Qaboos bin Said (since 1970)

Saudi Arabia- King Abdullah ibn Abdulaziz al-Saud (since 2005)

Thailand - King Bhumibol Adulyadej (since 1946)

Japan - Emperor Akihito (since 1989)

Africa

Lesotho - King Letsie III (since 1996, first time in 1990-1995)

Morocco - King Mohammed VI (since 1999)

Swaziland - King Mswati III (since 1986)

Oceania

Tonga - King George Tupou V (since 2006)

Dominions

In the dominions, or Commonwealth realms, the head is the monarch of Great Britain, represented by a governor-general.

America

Antigua and Barbuda Antigua and Barbuda

Bahamas Bahamas

Barbados

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Saint Lucia

Oceania

Australia

New Zealand

Papua New Guinea

Solomon islands

The third place is for the countries of Polynesia, and the fourth for Africa, where only three full-fledged monarchies have survived at present: Morocco, Lesotho, Swaziland, plus several hundred "tourist" ones.

STABILITY AND WELFARE

Of course, the monarchy does not automatically solve all social, economic and political problems. But, nevertheless, it can provide a certain amount of stability and balance in the political, social and national structure of society. That is why even those countries where it exists only nominally, say, Canada or Australia, are in no hurry to get rid of the monarchy.

The political elite of these countries, for the most part, understands how important it is for the balance in society that the supreme power be a priori enshrined in the same hands and political circles do not lead opposition for it, but work in the name of the interests of the entire nation.

Despite this, in the 40-60 years since the Persian Gulf countries gained independence, without revolutions and civil wars, liberalization of everything and everyone, without utopian social experiments, in a rigid, sometimes absolutist, political system, in the absence of parliamentarism and constitution, when all the bowels of the country belong to one ruling family, most of the citizens of the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and other neighboring states have turned from poor Bedouins grazing camels into quite wealthy citizens.

Also, any citizen of the country has the right to free education, coupled with free content, in any higher educational institution in the world (Cambridge, Oxford, Yale, Sorbonne). Housing is provided to young families at the expense of the state. The monarchies of the Persian Gulf are truly social states in which all conditions have been created for the progressive growth of the well-being of the population.

WHO STRENGTHENS THE UNITY OF THE PEOPLE?

As historical experience shows, in multinational states, the integrity of the country is primarily associated with the monarchy. We see this in the past, on the example of the Russian Empire, Austria-Hungary, Yugoslavia, Iraq. The coming to replace the monarchical regime, as it was, for example, in Yugoslavia and Iraq, no longer has that authority and is forced to resort to cruelties that were not characteristic of the monarchical system of government.

With the slightest weakening of this regime, the state, as a rule, is doomed to disintegration. So it was with Russia (USSR), we see it in Yugoslavia and Iraq. The abolition of the monarchy in a number of modern countries would inevitably lead to the termination of their existence as multinational, united states. This primarily applies to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia.

So the year 2007 clearly showed that in the conditions of the parliamentary crisis that arose due to the national contradictions of the Flemish and Walloon politicians, only the authority of King Albert II of the Belgians kept Belgium from disintegrating into two or even more independent state entities. In multilingual Belgium, even a joke was born that the unity of its people is held together by only three things - beer, chocolate and the king. Whereas the abolition of the monarchical system in 2008 in Nepal plunged this state into a chain of political crises and permanent civil confrontation.

Cambodia is another example. Also, monarchical regimes at the local level were restored in Uganda, after the fall of the dictatorship of Marshal Idi Amin (1928-2003), and in Indonesia, which, after the departure of General Mohammed-Khoja Sukarto (1921-2008), is experiencing a real monarchical renaissance. One of the local sultanates was restored in this country two centuries later, after it was destroyed by the Dutch.

This is proved by the experience of King Leka of Albania, who almost carried out an armed coup in his country, and the amazing successes of Tsar Simeon II of Bulgaria, who created his own national movement, named after him, who managed to become the country's prime minister and is currently the leader of the largest opposition party. in the Parliament of Bulgaria, which entered the coalition government.

The stability of the political and economic systems of most monarchical countries makes them not only not obsolete, but progressive and attractive, makes them equal to them in a number of ways.

So the monarchy is not an attachment to stability and prosperity, but an additional resource that makes it easier to endure the disease, recover faster from political and economic adversities.

WITHOUT A KING IN THE HEAD

The situation is quite common in the world when there is no monarchy in the country, but there are monarchs (sometimes they are outside the country). The heirs of royal families either claim (even formally) the throne lost by their ancestors, or, having lost official power, retain a real influence on the life of the country. Here is a list of such states.

Austria. The monarchy ceased to exist in 1918 after the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The contender for the throne is Archduke Otto von Habsburg, son of the deposed Emperor Charles.

Albania. The monarchy ceased to exist in 1944 after the communists came to power. The pretender to the throne is Leka, son of the deposed King Zog I.

Andorra Principality. The nominal co-rulers of which are considered the President of France and the Bishop of Urgell (Spain); some observers consider it necessary to classify Andorra as a monarchy.

Afghanistan. The monarchy ceased to exist in 1973 after the overthrow of King Mohammed Zahir Shah, who returned to the country in 2002 after a long stay in Italy, but did not become actively involved in political life.

Benin Republic. An important role in the life of which is played by traditional kings (ahosu) and tribal leaders. The most famous is the current ruling king (ahosu) of Abomey - Agoli Agbo III, the 17th representative of his dynasty.

Bulgaria. The monarchy ceased to exist after the overthrow of Tsar Simeon II in 1946. The decree on the nationalization of lands belonging to the royal family was repealed in 1997. Since 2001, the former tsar has been the Prime Minister of Bulgaria under the name of Simeon of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.

Botswana. Republic since independence in 1966. The number of deputies of one of the chambers of the country's parliament - the chamber of leaders - includes the leaders (kgosi) of the eight largest tribes of the country.

Brazil. Republic since the abdication of Emperor Don Pedro II in 1889. The pretender to the throne is the great-great-grandson of the abdicated emperor, Prince Luis Gastao.

Burkina Faso. Republic since independence in 1960. There are a large number of traditional states on the territory of the country, the most significant of which is Vogodogo (on the territory of the country's capital Ouagudugou), where the ruler (moogo-naaba) Baongo II is currently on the throne.

Vatican. Theocracy (some analysts consider it one of the forms of monarchy - an absolute theocratic monarchy - however, it should be borne in mind that it is not and cannot be hereditary).

Hungary. Republic since 1946, before that since 1918 was a nominal monarchy - the regent ruled in the absence of the king. Until 1918, it was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire (the emperors of Austria were also kings of Hungary), so the potential contender for the Hungarian royal throne is the same as in Austria.

East Timor . Republic since independence in 2002. On the territory of the country there are a number of traditional states, the rulers of which have the titles of rajas.

Vietnam. The monarchy on the territory of the country finally ceased to exist in 1955, when a republic was proclaimed in South Vietnam as a result of a referendum. Previously, in 1945, the last Emperor Bao Dai had already abdicated, but the French authorities returned him to the country in 1949 and gave him the post of head of state. The pretender to the throne is the Emperor's son Prince Bao Long.

Gambia. Republic since 1970 (from independence in 1965 until the proclamation of the republic, the head of state was the Queen of Great Britain). In 1995, Yvonne Prior, a Dutch woman from Suriname, was recognized as the reincarnation of one of the kings of antiquity and proclaimed queen of the Mandingo people.

Ghana. Republic since 1960 (from independence in 1957 until the proclamation of the republic, the head of state was the Queen of Great Britain). The Ghanaian constitution guarantees the right of traditional rulers (sometimes called kings, sometimes chiefs) to participate in the management of the affairs of the state.

Germany. Republic since the overthrow of the monarchy in 1918. The pretender to the throne is Prince Georg Friedrich of Prussia, great-great-grandson of Kaiser Wilhelm II.

Greece. The monarchy officially ceased to exist as a result of a referendum in 1974. King Constantine of Greece, who fled the country after a military coup in 1967, currently resides in the UK. In 1994, the Greek government stripped the king of his citizenship and confiscated his property in Greece. The royal family is currently challenging this decision at the International Court of Human Rights.

Georgia. Republic since independence in 1991. The pretender to the throne of the Georgian kingdom, which lost its independence as a result of joining Russia in 1801, is George Iraklievich Bagration-Mukhransky, Prince of Georgia.

Egypt. The monarchy existed until the overthrow of King Ahmad Fuad II of Egypt and Sudan in 1953. Currently, the former king, who at the time of the loss of the throne was just over a year old, lives in France.

Iraq. The monarchy ceased to exist in 1958 as a result of the revolution, during which King Faisal II was assassinated. Claims to the Iraqi throne are made by Prince Ra'ad bin Zeid, brother of King Faisal I of Iraq, and Prince Sharif Ali bin Ali Hussein, great-nephew of the same king.

Iran. The monarchy ceased to exist in 1979 after a revolution that overthrew Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi. The contender for the throne is the son of the deposed Shah, Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi.

Italy. The monarchy ceased to exist in 1946 as a result of a referendum, King Umberto II was forced to leave the country. The pretender to the throne is the son of the last king, Crown Prince Victor Emmanuel, Duke of Savoy.

Yemen. The republic emerged from the unification of North and South Yemen in 1990. On the territory of North Yemen, the monarchy ceased to exist in 1962. The sultanates and principalities on the territory of South Yemen were liquidated after the declaration of its independence in 1967. The pretender to the throne is Prince Ahmat al-Ghani bin Mohammed al-Mutawakkil.

Cameroon. Republic since independence in 1960. There are a large number of traditional sultanates on the territory of the country, the heads of which often hold high government positions. Among the most famous traditional rulers is the Sultan of Bamun, Ibrahim Mbombo Njoya, Sultan (Baba) of the Kingdom of Rey Buba Buba Abdoulaye.

Congo (Democratic Republic of the Congo, formerly Zaire). Republic since independence in 1960. There are a number of traditional kingdoms throughout the country. The most famous are: the Kingdom of Cuba (King Kwete Mboke is on the throne); the kingdom of Luba (king, sometimes also called emperor, Kabongo Jacques); the state of Ruund (Luunda), headed by the ruler (mwaant yaav) Mbumb II Muteb.

Congo (Republic of the Congo). Republic since independence in 1960. In 1991, the country's authorities restored the institution of traditional leaders (revising their decision 20 years ago). The most famous among the leaders is the head of the traditional Teke kingdom - King (oonko) Makoko XI.

Korea. (DPRK and the Republic of Korea) The monarchy ceased to exist in 1945 due to the surrender of Japan, in 1945-1948 the country was under the control of the allied powers that won the Second World War, in 1948 two republics were proclaimed on the territory of the Korean Peninsula. Due to the fact that from 1910 to 1945 the rulers of Korea were vassals of Japan, it is customary to classify them as part of the Japanese imperial family. The pretender to the Korean throne is the representative of this surname, Prince Kyu Ri (sometimes his surname is written as Lee). On the territory of the DPRK, there is de facto a hereditary form of government, but de jure it is not stipulated in the legislation of the country.

Côte d'Ivoire. Republic since independence in 1960. On the territory of the country (and partly on the territory of neighboring Ghana) is the traditional kingdom of Abrons (ruled by King Nanan Ajumani Kouassi Adingra).

Laos. The monarchy ceased to exist in 1975 as a result of the communist revolution. In 1977, all members of the royal family were sent to a concentration camp ("re-education camp"). The king's two sons, Prince Sulivong Savang and Prince Danyavong Savang, were able to escape from Laos in 1981-1982. There is no official information about the fate of the king, queen, crown prince and other family members. According to unofficial reports, they all died of starvation in a concentration camp. Prince Sulivong Savang, as the eldest surviving male of the family, is the formal pretender to the throne.

Libya. The monarchy ceased to exist in 1969. After the coup organized by Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, King Idris I, who was abroad during the coup, was forced to abdicate. The pretender to the throne is the official heir to the king (the adopted son of his cousin) Prince Mohammed al-Hasan al-Rida.

Malawi. Republic since 1966 (from the moment of independence in 1964 until the proclamation of the Republic, the head of state was the Queen of Great Britain). An important role in the political life of the country is played by the supreme leader (inkosi i makosi) Mmbelwa IV from the Ngoni dynasty.

Maldives. The monarchy ceased to exist after a referendum in 1968 (during the period of British rule, that is, before independence in 1965, the country once became a republic for a short time). The formal contender for the throne, however, who never declared his claims, is Prince Mohammed Nureddin, son of the Sultan of the Maldives Hassan Nureddin II (reigned 1935-1943).

Mexico. The monarchy ceased to exist in 1867 after the execution by the revolutionaries of the ruler of the empire proclaimed in 1864, Archduke Maximilian of Austria. Earlier, in 1821-1823, the country had already once been an independent state with a monarchical form of structure. Representatives of the Iturbide dynasty, whose ancestor was the Mexican emperor during this period, are pretenders to the Mexican throne. The head of the Iturbide family is Baroness Maria (II) Anna Tankl Iturbide.

Mozambique. Republic since independence in 1975. On the territory of the country is the traditional state of Manyika, whose ruler (mambo) is Mutasa Pafiva.

Myanmar (until 1989 Burma). Republic since independence in 1948. The monarchy ceased to exist in 1885 after the annexation of Burma to British India. The pretender to the throne is Prince Hteiktin Tau Paya, grandson of the last king Thibau Ming.

Namibia. Republic since independence in 1990. A number of tribes are ruled by traditional rulers. The role of traditional leaders is at least indicated by the fact that Hendrik Witboui served as deputy head of government for several years.

Niger. Republic since independence in 1960. There are a number of traditional states on the territory of the country. Their rulers and tribal elders choose their own political and religious leader, who bears the title of Sultan of Zinder (the title is not hereditary). Currently, the title of the 20th Sultan of Zinder is held by Haji Mamadou Mustafa.

Nigeria. Republic since 1963 (from independence in 1960 until the proclamation of the republic, the head of state was the Queen of Great Britain). There are about 100 traditional states on the territory of the country, the rulers of which bear both the familiar-sounding titles of sultan or emir, as well as more exotic ones: aku uka, olu, igwe, amanyanabo, tortiv, alafin, both, obi, ataoja, oroje, olubaka, ohimege (most often this means in translation "leader" or "supreme leader").

Palau (Belau). Republic since independence in 1994. Legislative power is exercised by the House of Delegates (council of chiefs), which includes the traditional rulers of the 16 provinces of Palau. Yutaka Gibbons, the paramount chief (ibedul) of Koror, the main city of the country, enjoys the greatest authority.

Portugal. The monarchy ceased to exist in 1910 as a result of the escape from the country of King Manuel II, who feared for his life in connection with an armed uprising. The pretender to the throne is the house of Duarte III Pio, Duke of Braganza.

Russia . The monarchy ceased to exist after the February Revolution of 1917. Although there are several pretenders to the Russian throne, most monarchists recognize Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna, great-great-granddaughter of Emperor Alexander II, as the legitimate heiress.

Romania. The monarchy ceased to exist after the abdication of King Michael I in 1947. After the collapse of communism, the former king visited his native country several times. In 2001, the Romanian parliament granted him the rights of a former head of state - a residence, a private car with a driver and a salary equal to 50% of the country's president's salary.

Serbia. Along with Montenegro, it was part of Yugoslavia until 2002 (the rest of the republics seceded from Yugoslavia in 1991). In Yugoslavia, the monarchy finally ceased to exist in 1945 (since 1941, King Peter II was outside the country). After his death, his son, the heir to the throne, Prince Alexander (Karageorgievich), became the head of the royal house.

USA. Republic since independence in 1776. The Hawaiian Islands (annexed to the United States in 1898, acquired statehood in 1959) had a monarchy until 1893. The pretender to the Hawaiian throne is Prince Quentin Kuhio Kawananakoa, a direct descendant of the last Hawaiian queen Liliuokalani.

Tanzania. The republic was formed in 1964 as a result of the unification of Tanganyika and Zanzibar. On the island of Zanzibar, shortly before the unification, the monarchy was overthrown. The 10th Sultan of Zanzibar Jamshid bin Abdullah was forced to leave the country. In 2000, the Tanzanian authorities announced the rehabilitation of the monarch and that he has the right to return to his homeland as an ordinary citizen.

Tunisia. The monarchy ceased to exist in 1957, the year after independence was declared. The contender for the throne is Crown Prince Sidi Ali Ibrahim.

Turkey. It was proclaimed a republic in 1923 (the sultanate was abolished a year earlier, and the caliphate a year later). The pretender to the throne is Prince Osman VI.

Uganda. Republic since 1963 (from independence in 1962 until the proclamation of the republic, the head of state was the Queen of Great Britain). Some traditional kingdoms on the territory of the country were liquidated in 1966-1967 and almost all were restored in 1993-1994. Others managed to avoid liquidation.

Philippines. Republic since independence in 1946. There are many traditional sultanates on the territory of the country. 28 of them are concentrated in the area of Lake Lanao (Mindanao Island). The Philippine government officially recognizes the confederation of the Sultans of Lanao (Ranao) as a political force representing the interests of certain segments of the island's population. The throne of the Sultanate of Sulu (located on the archipelago of the same name) is claimed by at least six people representing two clans, which is explained by various political and financial benefits.

France. The monarchy was abolished in 1871. Heirs of various families claim the French throne: Prince Henry of Orleans, Count of Paris and Duke of France (Orleanist pretender); Louis Alphonse de Bourbon, Duke of Anjou (Legitimist pretender) and Prince Charles Bonaparte, Prince Napoleon (Bonapartist pretender).

Central African Republic. After gaining independence from France in 1960, a republic was proclaimed. Colonel Jean-Bedel Bokassa, who came to power in 1966 as a result of a military coup, in 1976 proclaimed the country an empire, and himself emperor. In 1979 Bokassa was overthrown and the Central African Empire became the Central African Republic again. The contender for the throne is the son of Bokassa, Crown Prince Jean-Bedel Georges Bokassa.

Chad. Republic since independence in 1960. Among the numerous traditional states on the territory of Chad, two should be singled out: the Bagirmi and Wadari sultanates (both were formally liquidated after the declaration of independence and restored in 1970). Sultan (mbang) Bagirmi - Muhammad Yusuf, Sultan (kolak) Vadari - Ibrahim ibn-Muhammad Urada.

Montenegro. See Serbia

Ethiopia. The monarchy ceased to exist in 1975 after the abolition of the post of emperor. The last of the reigning emperors was Haile Selassie I, belonging to the dynasty, the founders of which are considered to be Menelik I, son of Solomon, king of Israel, from the queen of Sheba. In 1988, in a private ceremony in London, Haile Selassie's son, Amha Selassie I, was proclaimed the new Emperor of Ethiopia (in exile).

Republic of South Africa. Since 1961 (from the moment of independence in 1910 until the proclamation of the republic, the Queen of Great Britain was the head of state). Tribal leaders (amakosi), as well as the ruler of the traditional kingdom of KwaZulu, Goodwill Zwelitini KaBekuzulu, play an important role in the life of the country. Separately, it is worth highlighting the supreme leader of the Tembu tribe, Baelekhai Dalindiebo a Sabata, who, in accordance with the customs of the tribe, is considered the nephew of former South African President Nelson Mandela. The leader of the tribe is also a well-known politician, leader of the Inkata Freedom Party Mangosutu Gatshi Buthelezi from the Buthelezi tribe. During the apartheid period, the South African authorities created ten "autonomous" formations on a tribal basis, which were called bantustans (homelands).

Do they exist in the modern world? Where on the planet are countries still ruled by kings and sultans? Find answers to these questions in our article. In addition, you will learn what a constitutional monarchy is. You will also find examples of countries of this form of government in this publication.

The main forms of government in the modern world

To date, two main models of government are known: monarchical and republican. By monarchy is meant a form of government in which power belongs to one person. It can be a king, emperor, emir, prince, sultan, etc. The second distinguishing feature of the monarchical system is the process of transferring this power by inheritance (and not by the results of popular elections).

Today there are absolute, theocratic and constitutional monarchies. Republics (the second form of government) are more common in the modern world: they are about 70%. The republican model of government assumes the election of the supreme authorities - the parliament and (or) the president.

The most famous monarchies of the planet: Great Britain, Denmark, Norway, Japan, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates (UAE). Examples of country-republics: Poland, Russia, France, Mexico, Ukraine. However, in this article we are only interested in countries with a constitutional monarchy (you will find a list of these states below).

Monarchy: absolute, theocratic, constitutional

There are three types of monarchical countries (there are about 40 of them in the world). It can be theocratic, absolute and constitutional monarchy. Let us briefly consider the features of each of them, and dwell on the last in more detail.

In absolute monarchies, all power is concentrated in the hands of one person. He makes absolutely all decisions, realizing the internal and foreign policy of their country. The clearest example of such a monarchy can be called Saudi Arabia.

In a theocratic monarchy, power belongs to the highest church (spiritual) minister. The only example of such a country is the Vatican, where the absolute authority for the population is the Pope. True, some researchers classify Brunei and even Great Britain as theocratic monarchies. It's no secret that the Queen of England is also the head of the church.

A constitutional monarchy is...

A constitutional monarchy is a model of government in which the power of the monarch is significantly limited.

Sometimes he can be completely deprived of supreme authority. In this case, the monarch is only a formal figure, a kind of symbol of the state (as, for example, in Great Britain).

All these legal restrictions on the power of the monarch, as a rule, are reflected in the constitution of a particular state (hence the name of this form of government).

Types of constitutional monarchy

Modern constitutional monarchies can be parliamentary or dualistic. In the first, the government is formed by the country's parliament, to which it reports. In dualistic constitutional monarchies, ministers are appointed (and removed) by the monarch himself. Parliament only has the right of some vetoes.

It is worth noting that the division of countries into republics and monarchies sometimes turns out to be somewhat arbitrary. After all, even in the most individual aspects of the succession of power (the appointment of relatives and friends to important government posts) can be observed. This applies to Russia, Ukraine and even the United States.

Constitutional Monarchy: Examples of Countries

To date, 31 states of the world can be attributed to constitutional monarchies. The third part of them is located in Western and Northern Europe. About 80% of all constitutional monarchies in the modern world are parliamentary, and only seven are dualistic.

The following are all countries with a constitutional monarchy (list). The region in which the state is located is indicated in brackets:

Luxembourg (Western Europe).
Liechtenstein (Western Europe).
Principality of Monaco (Western Europe).
Great Britain (Western Europe).
Netherlands (Western Europe).
Belgium (Western Europe).
Denmark (Western Europe).
Norway (Western Europe).
Sweden (Western Europe).
Spain (Western Europe).
Andorra (Western Europe).
Kuwait (Middle East).
UAE (Middle East).
Jordan (Middle East).
Japan (East Asia).
Cambodia (Southeast Asia).
Thailand (Southeast Asia).
Bhutan (Southeast Asia).
Australia (Australia and Oceania).
New Zealand (Australia and Oceania).
Papua New Guinea (Australia and Oceania).
Tonga (Australia and Oceania).
Solomon Islands (Australia and Oceania).
Canada (North America).
Morocco (North Africa).
Lesotho (South Africa).
Grenada (Caribbean).
Jamaica (Caribbean).
Saint Lucia (Caribbean).
Saint Kitts and Nevis (Caribbean).
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (Caribbean).

On the map below, all these countries are marked in green.

Is constitutional monarchy the ideal form of government?

There is an opinion that the constitutional monarchy is the key to the stability and welfare of the country. Is it so?

Of course, a constitutional monarchy is not capable of automatically solving all the problems that arise before the state. However, it is ready to offer society a certain political stability. After all, in such countries a constant struggle for power (imaginary or real) is absent a priori.

The constitutional-monarchical model has a number of other advantages. As practice shows, it was in such states that it was possible to build the world's best social security systems for citizens. And we are talking not only about the countries of the Scandinavian Peninsula.

You can take, for example, the same countries of the Persian Gulf (UAE, Kuwait). They have much less oil than in the same Russia. However, in a few decades, from poor countries, whose population was exclusively engaged in grazing in oases, they were able to turn into successful, prosperous and fully established states.

The most famous constitutional monarchies of the world: Great Britain, Norway, Kuwait

Great Britain is one of the most famous parliamentary monarchies on the planet. (as well as formally another 15 Commonwealth countries) is Queen Elizabeth II. However, one should not think that she is a purely symbolic figure. The British Queen has a powerful right to dissolve Parliament. In addition, it is she who is the commander-in-chief of the British troops.

The Norwegian king is also the head of state, according to the Constitution, which has been in force since 1814. To quote this document, Norway is "a free monarchical state with a limited and hereditary form of government." Moreover, initially the king had broader powers, which gradually narrowed.

Another parliamentary monarchy since 1962 is Kuwait. The role of the head of state here is played by the emir, who has broad powers: he dissolves the parliament, signs laws, appoints the head of the government; he also commands the troops of Kuwait. It is curious that in this amazing country women are absolutely equal in their political rights with men, which is not typical for the states of the Arab world.

Finally

Now you know what a constitutional monarchy is. Examples of this country are present on all continents of the planet, except for Antarctica. These are the gray-haired wealthy states of the old Europe, and the young richest

Is it possible to say that the most optimal form of government in the world is precisely a constitutional monarchy? Examples of countries - successful and highly developed - fully confirm this assumption.

Modern political science can give a complete description of any form of state (the structure of the political organization of society) based on the form of government, the form of the state-territorial structure and the type of political regime.

Forms of government

The form of government is a way of organizing the supreme state power. There are two forms of government - monarchy and republic. Monarchy, in turn, can be of such types as:

absolute (all the fullness of executive, legislative and judicial power is concentrated in the hands of the monarch);
constitutional or parliamentary (the power of the monarch is limited by the constitution, the real executive and legislative power is in the hands of the parliament elected or formed by the people);
dualistic (power is divided equally between the monarch and parliament);
theocratic (power is in the hands of the spiritual leader who heads this or that denomination).

The republican form of government exists in such forms as

presidential (power is concentrated in the hands of the elected president);
parliamentary (the country is led by parliament or the prime minister; the president performs only representative functions);
mixed (power is divided between parliament and the president).

Form of state-territorial structure

Forms of state-territorial structure are a way of interconnection and interaction separate parts state, enshrined in the constitution. There are forms like

federation (an alliance of relatively independent subjects, subordinate in all important matters to the political center);
unitary state (a single and indivisible state, consisting only of administrative units);
confederation (a temporary union of states completely independent from each other).

Political regimes

The political regime is a set of methods and ways of exercising state power. There are such types of political regimes as

Monarchies of Foreign Europe

Which states can be included in the list of "Monarchist countries of foreign Europe"?

It can be represented as follows.

Fig. 1 Ruling royal house of Windsor

Country	Form of political organization	Form of government
Norway	Kingdom (ruling house - Gluckburg dynasty)	A constitutional monarchy
	Kingdom (ruling house - Bernadotte dynasty)	A constitutional monarchy
	Kingdom (ruling house - Glücksburg dynasty)	A constitutional monarchy
Great Britain	Kingdom (ruling house - Windsor)	A constitutional monarchy
	Kingdom (ruling house - Saxe-Coburg-Gotha dynasty)	A constitutional monarchy
Netherlands	Kingdom (ruling house - Oran-Nassau)	A constitutional monarchy
Luxembourg	Duchy (ruling house - Bourbons of Parma)	A constitutional monarchy
Liechtenstein	Principality (ruling house - Savoy dynasty)	A constitutional monarchy
	Kingdom (ruling house - Bourbons)	Parliamentary monarchy with a bias towards dualism
	Principality (ruling house - Bourbons)	A constitutional monarchy
	Principality (ruling house - Grimaldi)	A constitutional monarchy
	papal state	Elective absolute theocratic monarchy

The Vatican is not the only state with an elected theocratic absolute monarchy. The second state is Iran, where power for a long time held by the spiritual leader - Ayatollah Khomeini.

Thus, a fairly large number of large European countries are monarchies. Their share is especially great in Northern Europe abroad (if you look at their location on the map).

Rice. 2 Political map of foreign Europe

Almost all modern dynasties are connected by blood ties. The royal house of Great Britain, the Windsors, are representatives of both the Saxon-Coburg - Goth dynasty and the Glücksburg dynasty. The oldest unbroken dynasty is the princely house of Grimaldi. The throne has been passed down in a straight line from father to son for 700 years.

Fig.3 Chapter ruling house Monaco - Prince Albert II Grimaldi

What have we learned?

Most of the monarchical countries of Foreign Europe are constitutional monarchies. This means that all legislative, executive and judicial power is in the hands of Parliament and an elected Prime Minister or Chancellor. The monarch plays a representative role, although he can speak out on key issues of foreign and domestic policy. In some countries, such as the UK, the monarch is a significant figure in the political arena. Elizabeth II, the reigning queen, actively interfered in the activities of many prime ministers: Margaret Thatcher, Tony Blair and others.

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