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A constitutional monarchy or limited monarchy is a form of government established under a constitutional system which acknowledges an elected or hereditary monarch as head of state, as opposed to an absolute monarchy, where the monarch is not bound by a constitution and is the sole source of political power. (The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy even though it does not have an actual written constitution.) The process of government and law within a constitutional monarchy is usually very different from that in an absolute monarchy.

Most constitutional monarchies take on a parliamentary form, like the United Kingdom, Canada or Japan, where the monarch may be regarded as the head of state but the prime minister, whose power derives directly or indirectly from elections, is head of government.

Although current constitutional monarchies are mostly representative democracies (called constitutional democratic monarchies^{[citation needed]}), this has not always historically been the case. There have been monarchies which have coexisted with constitutions which were fascist (or quasi-fascist), as was the case in Italy, Japan and Spain, or with military dictatorships, as was recently the case in Thailand.

Contents 1 Differences between constitutional and absolute monarchies 1.1 Constitutional monarchy in the European tradition 1.2 Modern constitutional monarchy 1.3 Constitutional monarchies today 1.4 List of current constitutional monarchies 1.5 Previous monarchies 1.6 Other situations 1.7 Notes 1.8 References

Differences between constitutional and absolute monarchies

Constitutional monarchy in the European tradition

An independent development of constitutional monarchy occurred on the continent of Europe in the years following the French revolution. Napoleon Bonaparte is considered the first monarch to proclaim himself the embodiment of a nation, rather than a divinely appointed ruler, and this view of monarchy became the basis of continental constitutional monarchies. G.W.F. Hegel, in his Philosophy of Right (1820) gave it a philosophical justification that accorded well with evolving political theory and with Protestant Christian views of natural law. Hegel\'s forecast of a constitutional monarch with very limited powers, whose function is to embody the national character and to provide constitutional continuity in times of emergency, has been borne out by the development of constitutional monarchies in Europe and Japan. The largely ceremonial office of president, in some modern parliamentary democracies in Europe, Israel and other nations, can be viewed as a form of elected or appointed version of Hegel\'s constitutional monarch, and his forecast of the form of government suitable to the modern world may be seen as prophetic. The Russian and French Presidents, with their stronger powers, may also be seen as justified in Hegelian terms as wielding the powers suitable to the embodiment of the national will.

Modern constitutional monarchy

As originally conceived, a constitutional monarch was quite a powerful figure, head of the executive branch even though his or her power was limited by the constitution and the elected parliament. Some of the framers of the US Constitution may have conceived of the president as a being an elected constitutional monarch, as the term was understood in their time, following Montesquieu\'s somewhat dated account of the separation of powers in the United Kingdom Montesquieu, 1984; although the term "president" at that time implied someone with the powers of the chairman of a committee of equals, like the rotating "president" of the congress under the Articles of Confederation.

An evolution in political thinking would, however, eventually spawn such phenomena as universal suffrage and political parties. By the mid 20th century, the political culture in Europe had shifted to the point where most constitutional monarchs had been reduced to the status of figureheads, with no effective power at all. Instead, it was the democratically elected parliaments, and their leader, the prime minister who had become those who exercised power. In many cases even the monarchs themselves, while still at the very top of the political and social hierarchy, were given the status of "servants of the people" to reflect the new, egalitarian view.

In present terms, the difference between a parliamentary democracy that is a constitutional monarchy, and one that is a republic, is considered more a difference of detail than of substance, particularly in the common case in which the head of state serves the traditional role of embodying and representing the nation. This is reflected, for example, in all but the most die-hard Spanish Republicans accepting their country\'s returning to constitutional monarchy after the death of Francisco Franco.

Constitutional monarchies today

Constitutional monarchies with representative parliamentary systems are shown in red. Other constitutional monarchies (shown in violet) have monarchs who continue to exercise political influence, albeit within certain legal restrictions. Constitutional monarchies in beige (currently only one nation, Thailand) are constitutional monarchies in which the constitution has been suspended.

Today constitutional monarchies are mostly associated with Western European countries such as the United Kingdom, The Netherlands, Belgium, Norway, Denmark, Spain, Luxembourg, Monaco, Liechtenstein and Sweden. In such cases it is the prime minister who holds the day-to-day powers of governance, while the King or Queen retains only minor to no powers. Different nations grant different powers to their monarchs. In the Netherlands, Denmark and in Belgium, for example, the Monarch formally appoints a representative to preside over the creation of a coalition government following a parliamentary election, while in Norway the King chairs special meetings of the cabinet.

The most significant family of constitutional monarchies in the world today are the sixteen realms, all independent parliamentary democracies in a personal union relationship under Elizabeth II. Unlike some of their continental European counterparts, the Monarch and her Governors-General in the Commonwealth Realms hold significant "reserve" or "prerogative" powers, to be wielded in times of extreme emergency or constitutional crises usually to uphold parliamentary government.

In both the United Kingdom and elsewhere, a common debate centers around when it is appropriate for a monarch to use his or her political powers. When a monarch does act, political controversy can often ensue, partially because the neutrality of the crown is seen to be compromised in favor of a partisan goal. While political scientists may champion the idea of an "interventionist monarch" as a check against possible illegal action by politicians, the monarchs themselves are often driven by a more pragmatic sense of self-preservation, in which avoiding political controversy can be seen as an important way to retain public legitimacy and popularity.

There also exists today several federal constitutional monarchies. In these countries, each subdivision has a distinct government and head of government, but all subdivisions share a monarch who is head of state of the federation as a united whole.

List of current constitutional monarchies

State	Last constitution established	Type of monarchy	Monarch selected by
Andorra	1993	Co-Principality	Selection of Bishop of La Seu d\'Urgell and election of French President
Antigua and Barbuda	1981	Kingdom	Hereditary succession directed by constitution
Australia	1977	Kingdom	Hereditary succession directed by constitution
The Bahamas	1973	Kingdom	Hereditary succession directed by constitution
Bahrain	2002	Kingdom	Hereditary succession directed by constitution
Barbados	1966	Kingdom	Hereditary succession directed by constitution
Belgium	1831	Kingdom; popular monarchyBelgium is the only existing popular monarchy—a system in which the monarch\'s title is linked to the people rather than a state. The title of Belgian kings is not King of Belgium, but instead King of the Belgians. Another unique feature of the Belgian system is that the new monarch does not automatically assume the throne at the death or abdication of his predecessor; he only becomes monarch upon taking a constitutional oath.	Hereditary succession directed by constitution
Belize	1981	Kingdom	Hereditary succession directed by constitution
Cambodia	1993	Kingdom	Hereditary succession directed by constitution
Canada	1982	Kingdom	Hereditary succession directed by constitution
Denmark	1953	Kingdom	Hereditary succession directed by constitution
Grenada	1974	Kingdom	Hereditary succession directed by constitution
Jamaica	1962	Kingdom	Hereditary succession directed by constitution
Japan	1946	Empire	Hereditary succession directed by constitution
Jordan	1952	Kingdom	Hereditary succession directed by constitution
Kuwait	1962	Emirate	Hereditary succession directed approval of al-Sabah family and majority of National Assembly
Lesotho	1993	Kingdom	Hereditary succession directed approval of College of Chiefs
Liechtenstein	1862	Principality	Hereditary succession directed by constitution
Luxembourg	1868	Grand duchy	Hereditary succession directed by constitution
Malaysia	1957	Elective monarchy	Selected from nine hereditary Sultans of the Malay states
Monaco	1911	Principality	Hereditary succession directed by constitution
Morocco	1962	Kingdom	Hereditary succession directed by constitution
Nepal	2007 (temp)	Kingdom	Hereditary succession directed by constitution
Netherlands	1815	Kingdom	Hereditary succession directed by constitution
New Zealand	1987	Kingdom	Hereditary succession directed by constitution
Norway	1814	Kingdom	Hereditary succession directed by constitution
Papua New Guinea	1975	Kingdom	Hereditary succession directed by constitution
Saint Kitts and Nevis	1983	Kingdom	Hereditary succession directed by constitution
Saint Lucia	1979	Kingdom	Hereditary succession directed by constitution
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	1979	Kingdom	Hereditary succession directed by constitution
Solomon Islands	1978	Kingdom	Hereditary succession directed by constitution
Spain	1978	Kingdom	Hereditary succession directed by constitution
Sweden	1974	Kingdom	Hereditary succession directed by constitution
Thailand	2007	Kingdom	Hereditary succession directed by constitution
Tonga	1970	Kingdom	Hereditary succession directed by constitution
Tuvalu	1978	Kingdom	Hereditary succession directed by constitution
United Arab Emirates	1971	Elective monarchy	Chosen by Federal Supreme Council from rulers of Abu Dhabi
United Kingdom	1688	Kingdom	Hereditary succession directed by constitution

Previous monarchies

• The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, formed after the Union of Lublin in 1569 and lasting till the final partition of the state in 1795 operated much like many modern European constitutional monarchies. The legislators of the unified state truly did not see it as a monarchy at all, but as a republic under the presidency of the King. Poland-Lithuania also followed the principle of "Rex regnat et non gubernat", had a bicameral parliament, and a collection of entrenched legal documents amounting to a constitution along the lines of the modern United Kingdom. The King was elected, and had the duty of maintaining the people\'s rights.
• France functioned briefly as a constitutional monarchy during the post-Napoleonic era, under the reign of Louis XVIII and Charles X, but the latter\'s attempt at reinstating absolute monarchy led to his fall. Louis-Philippe of France was also a constitutional monarch.
• Napoléon Bonaparte, as Emperor of the French, was in theory a constitutional monarch, though he was ousted from France before his line could continue. In practice, however, he is often classed as a military dictator, whose power derived primarily from his command of the army.
• The German Empire from 1871 to 1918, (as well as earlier confederations, and the monarchies it consisted of) was also a constitutional monarchy—see Constitution of the German Empire.
• Prior to the Iranian Revolution in 1979, Iran was a constitutional monarchy under Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, which had been originally established during the Persian Constitutional Revolution in 1906.
• Portugal until 1910 was a constitutional monarchy; the last king was Manuel II of Portugal until he was overthrown by a military coup.
• Brazil from 1815 (United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and Algarves) until 1822, with the proclamation of independence and rise of the Empire of Brazil by Pedro I of Brazil. After this the Empire had ended in 1889, during the reign of Pedro II of Brazil, when the emperor was deposed by a military coup.
• Hawaiʻi was a constitutional monarchy from the unification of the smaller independent chiefdoms of Oʻahu, Maui, Molokaʻi, Lānaʻi, and the Hawaiʻi (or the "Big Island") in 1810 until the overthrow of Queen Liliʻuokalani in 1893 by conspirators from United States that threatened her that, should she not resign, her people would suffer greatly.
• The Grand Duchy of Finland was a constitutional monarchy though its ruler, Alexander I, who was simultaneously an autocrat and absolute ruler in Russia.
• The Kingdom of Hungary in 1848–1849 and 1867–1918 as part of Austria-Hungary. In the interwar period (1920–1944) Hungary remained a constitutional monarchy without a reigning monarch.
• Yugoslavia until 1945 when King Peter was deposed by the communist government.
• Romania until 1947 when King Michael was forced to abdicate at gunpoint by the communists.
• Bulgaria until 1946 when Tsar Simeon was deposed by the communist assembly without consultation of the people.
• Greece until 1973 when King Constantine was deposed by the military government. The decision was formalised by a plebiscite in 05/04/1976.
• Many Commonwealth republics were constitutional monarchies in personal union with the Commonwealth realms for some period after their independence.

Other situations

• Japan is the only country with a reigning emperor.
• Luxembourg is the only country with a reigning Grand Duke.
• Andorra, Monaco and Liechtenstein are the only countries with a reigning Prince.
• Andorra is the only country where the head of state is vested jointly in two individuals.
• Australia, whose constitution demands legislation for the holding of a referendum where a majority of votes in a majority of 6 states must occur for any change to take place. In 1999 a referendum was held to change the country into a republic and was defeated.

Notes

References

This includes a list of references or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. You can improve this article by introducing more precise citations.

• G. W. F. Hegel, Elements of the Philosophy of Right (Allen W. Wood, ed., H.B. Nisbet, trans.). Cambridge University Press, 1991. ISBN 0-521-34438-7 (originally published as Georg Friedrich Wilhelm Hegel, Philosophie des Rechts, 1820).
• John Locke, Two Treatises of Government and A Letter Concerning Toleration. (Ian Shapiro, ed., with essays by John Dunn, Ruth W. Grant and Ian Shapiro.) New Haven: Yale University Press, 2003 (Two Treatises first pub. 1690). ISBN 0-300-10017-5.
• Baron de Montesquieu, The Spirit of Laws. Legal Classics Library, 1984.

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