Constitutional monarchy
form of state
Constitutional monarchy is a form of government. It is also called limited monarchy. A monarch is the head of state, but must follow a constitution.
Most constitutional monarchies use a parliamentary system.
Contemporary constitutional monarchies include the United Kingdom and Commonwealth realms, Belgium, Bhutan, Bahrain, Cambodia, Denmark, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Liechtenstein, Lesotho, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Monaco, Morocco, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Swaziland, Sweden, and Laos.
List of current reigning monarchiesEdit
The following is a list of reigning monarchies. Except where noted, monarch selection is hereditary as directed by the state's constitution.
| State | Last constitution established | Type of monarchy | Monarch selection |
|---|---|---|---|
 Antigua and Barbuda
|
1981 | Kingdom | Hereditary succession. |
 Andorra
|
1993 | Co-Principality | Selection of Bishop of La Seu d'Urgell and election of French President |
 Australia
|
1901 | Constitutional Monarchy and Parliamentary Democracy. | Hereditary succession. |
 The Bahamas
|
1973 | Kingdom | Hereditary succession. |
 Barbados
|
1966 | Kingdom | Hereditary succession. |
 Bahrain
|
2002 | Kingdom | Hereditary succession |
 Belgium
|
1831 | Kingdom; popular monarchy[1] | Hereditary succession |
 Belize
|
1981 | Kingdom | Hereditary succession. |
 Bhutan
|
2007 | Kingdom | Hereditary succession. |
 Cambodia
|
1993 | Elective monarchy; Kingdom | Chosen by throne council |
 Canada
|
1867 (last updated 1982) | Constitutional Monarchy and Federal Parliamentary Democracy. | Hereditary succession. |
 Denmark
|
1953 | Kingdom | Hereditary succession |
 Greenland
|
2009 | Parliamentary Democracy and Constitutional Monarchy. | Hereditary succession. |
 Grenada
|
1974 | Kingdom | Hereditary succession. |
 Jamaica
|
1962 | Kingdom | Hereditary succession. |
 Japan
|
1946 | Empire | Hereditary succession |
 Jordan
|
1952 | Kingdom | |
 Kuwait
|
1962 | Emirate | Hereditary succession, with directed approval of the House of Al-Sabah and majority of National Assembly |
 Lesotho
|
1993 | Kingdom | Hereditary succession directed approval of College of Chiefs[source?] |
 Liechtenstein
|
1862 | Principality | |
 Luxembourg
|
1868 | Grand duchy | |
 Malaysia
|
1957 | Elective monarchy; Federal monarchy | Selected from nine hereditary Sultans of the Malay states |
 Monaco
|
1911 | Kingdom | |
 Morocco
|
1666 | Kingdom | |
 Netherlands
|
1815 | Kingdom | |
 Norway
|
1814 | Kingdom | |
 New Zealand
|
1907 | Constitutional Monarchy and Parliamentary Democracy. | Hereditary succession. |
 Papua New Guinea
|
1975 | Kingdom | Hereditary succession. |
 Saint Kitts and Nevis
|
1983 | Kingdom | Hereditary succession. |
 Saint Lucia
|
1979 | Kingdom | Hereditary succession. |
 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
|
1979 | Kingdom | Hereditary succession. |
 Solomon Islands
|
1978 | Kingdom | Hereditary succession. |
 Spain
|
1978 | Kingdom | |
 Swaziland
|
1968 | Kingdom; Mixture of absolute and constitutional monarchy | Hereditary succession |
 Sweden
|
1974 | Kingdom | Switched from semi-constitutional monarchy to constitutional monarchy |
 Thailand
|
2007 | Kingdom | |
 Tonga
|
1970 | Kingdom | |
 Tuvalu
|
1978 | Kingdom | Hereditary succession. |
 United Arab Emirates
|
1971 | Federal Union of Emirates Elective monarchy |
President elected by the seven absolute monarchs of the Federal Supreme Council |
 United Kingdom
|
1688 | Constitutional Monarchy and Parliamentary Democracy. | Hereditary succession. |
ReferencesEdit
- ↑ Belgium is the only existing popular monarchy — a system in which the monarch's title is linked to the people rather than a state. The title of Belgian kings is not King of Belgium, but instead King of the Belgians. Another unique feature of the Belgian system is that the new monarch does not automatically assume the throne at the death or abdication of his predecessor; he only becomes monarch upon taking a constitutional oath.