List of countries by system of government

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This is a list of countries categorised by system of government.

A color-coded legend of forms of government. Click on map for descriptions below.

Alphabetical list of countries

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

Map

A color-coded legend of forms of government.
A color-coded legend of forms of government.

Legend

Note that this chart aims to represent de jure systems of government, not the de facto degree of democracy. Several states constitutionally deemed to be multiparty republics may also be broadly described as authoritarian states.


Systems of Governance

Presidential/Separated republics

These are systems in which a president is the active head of the executive branch of government and is elected and remains in office independently of the legislature. The following list includes democratic and non-democratic states:

Full presidential systems

In full presidential systems, the president is both head of state and head of government. There is generally no prime minister, although if one exists he or she serves purely at the pleasure of the president.

Presidential systems without a prime minister
Presidential systems with a prime minister

Semi-presidential systems

In semi-presidential systems, there is usually both a president and a prime minister. In such systems, the president has genuine executive authority, unlike in a parliamentary republic, but some of the role of a head of government is exercised by the prime minister.

Directorial systems

The directorial system is the collective version of the presidential system. In a directorial republic a council jointly exercises both presidential and governmental powers. The council is appointed by the parliament (and democratically elected at local level), but it is not subject to political confidence during its term which has a fixed duration.

Parliamentary republics

A parliamentary republic is a system in which a prime minister is the active head of the executive branch of government and also leader of the legislature. The president's degree of executive power may range from being reasonably significant (e.g. Pakistan) to little or none at all (e.g. Ireland). Where the president holds little executive power, their function is primarily that of a symbolic figurehead.

Mixed republican systems

A combined head of state and government is elected by the legislature, however they are not subject to parliamentary confidence during their term (although their cabinet is).

Constitutional monarchies

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

Constitutional monarchies with ceremonial monarchs

Systems in which a prime minister is the active head of the executive branch of government. In some cases the prime minister is also leader of the legislature, in other cases the executive branch is clearly separated from legislature although the entire cabinet or individual ministers must step down in the case of a vote of no confidence.[9][10][dubious – discuss] The head of state is a constitutional monarch who only exercises his or her powers with the consent of the government, the people or their representatives.

Constitutional monarchies with active monarchs

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

Absolute monarchies

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

Theocracies

States based on a state religion where the head of state is selected by some form of religious hierarchy.

Single political movement states

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

Military junta states

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

Transitional

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

  •  Eritrea (presidential republic)
  •  Somalia (semi-presidential republic)

Systems of Internal Governance

Federal

States in which the federal government shares power with semi-independent regional governments. In many cases, the central government is (in theory) a creation of the regional governments; prime examples are Switzerland and the United States.

Regionalised unitary

States in which the central government has delegated some of its powers to regional authorities.

Unitary states

Main article: Unitary state

Confederation

Main article: Confederation

European Union

The exact political character of the European Union is widely debated, some arguing that it is sui generis (unique), but others arguing that it has features of a federal or a confederal system. It has elements of intergovernmentalism, with the European Council acting as its collective "president", and also elements of supranationalism, with the European Commission acting as its executive and bureaucracy.[15] But it is not easily placed in any of the above categories.

Notes

  1. ^ a b Iran combines the forms of a presidential republic, with a president elected by universal suffrage; and a theocracy, with a Supreme Leader who is ultimately responsible for state policy, chosen by the elected Assembly of Experts. Candidates for both the Assembly of Experts and the presidency are vetted by the appointed Guardian Council.
  2. ^ While the office of prime minister exists, the president is both the head of state and government.
  3. ^ The SADR is a government in exile, located in Tindouf, Algeria. Most of the territory of Western Sahara is under military occupation by Morocco; the rest is administered by the SADR.
  4. ^ The President of Switzerland serves in a primus inter pares capacity amongst the Swiss Federal Council, the seven-member executive council which constitutes both the presidency and the government.
  5. ^ In Bangladesh, a caretaker government during parliamentary elections. The Caretaker government is headed by a Chief Adviser and a group of neutral, non-partisan advisers chosen from the civil society. During this time, the president has jurisdiction over the defence and foreign affairs ministries.
  6. ^ Collective presidency consisting of three members; one for each major ethnic group.
  7. ^ Formerly a semi-presidential republic, it's now a parliamentary republic according to David Arter, First Chair of Politics at Aberdeen University, who in his "Scandinavian Politics Today" (Manchester University Press, revised 2008), quotes Jaakko Nousiainen in "From semi-presidentialism to parliamentary government" in Scandinavian Political Studies 24 (2) p95-109 as follows: "There are hardly any grounds for the epithet 'semi-presidential'." Arter's own conclusions are only slightly more nuanced: "The adoption of a new constitution on 1 March 2000 meant that Finland was no longer a case of semi-presidential government other than in the minimalist sense of a situation where a popularly elected fixed-term president exists alongside a prime minister and cabinet who are responsible to parliament (Elgie 2004: 317)". According to the Finnish Constitution, the President has no possibility to rule the government without the ministerial approval, and substantially has not the power to disband the parliament under its own desire. Finland is actually represented by its Prime Minister, and not by its President, in the Council of the Heads of State and Government of the European Union.
  8. ^ a b Combines aspects of an presidential system with aspects of a parliamentary system. The president is elected by parliament and holds a parliamentary seat, much like a prime minister, but is immune from a vote of no confidence, unlike a prime minister.
  9. ^ Norwegian Parliament web page
  10. ^ CIA factbook on Norway
  11. ^ Bishop of Urgell and President of France serve as ex-officio co-princes who are have their interests known through a representative.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p One of sixteen constitutional monarchies which recognize Elizabeth II as head of state, who presides over an independent government. She is titled separately in each country (e.g. Queen of Australia), and notionally appoints a Governor-General to each country other than the United Kingdom to act as her representative. The prime minister is the active head of the executive branch of government and also leader of the legislature. These countries may be known as "Commonwealth realms"
  13. ^ The UAE's constitution establishes the state as a federation of emirates, with the federal president drawn from hereditary emirs, but each emirate in turn functions as an absolute monarchy
  14. ^ a b The Vatican is an elective absolute monarchy and a Roman Catholic theocracy; its monarch, the Pope, is the head of the global Roman Catholic Church. His power within the Vatican City State is unlimited by any constitution, but all persons resident within the Vatican have consented to obey the Pope, either by virtue of being ordained Catholic clergy or members of the Swiss Guard.
  15. ^ For more detailed discussion, see John McCormick, European Union Politics (Palgrave Macmillan, 2011), Chapters 1 and 2.

See also

External links

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