Formal Powers of Current European Monarchs and their Actual Use

Abstract

The study analyzes the formal powers of current European monarchs, and examines their actual use. We investigate the royal prerogatives of monarchs from ten European nations: Belgium, Denmark, Lichtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. The text deals with four powers – legislative initiative, royal assent/veto, selection/appointment of the prime minister and dissolution of parliament. The constitutional power is described first; its real use in the period of 1990–2012 is then examined. At the end, a comparison of every single prerogative is carried out, conclusions about the actual position of monarchs in current European political systems are drawn, and a tentative answer to questions concerning the future of kings, princes, and grand dukes serving as heads of state in European countries is suggested.

Patterns of Government Formation in Europe: The Role of the Head of State

“…In parliamentary monarchies, in which the monarch's role has been considerably scaled back, the monarch normally does not function as head of state but may sometimes do so under specific circumstances in the GFP (see Kozubík, Chytilek 2013). In republics with elected presidents, whether they are elected indirectly or by direct vote, the president generally plays a greater role.…”

“…This strategy is indispensable for understanding the various patterns the GFP takes in European countries and is the first step in analysing how the GFP functions in actual practice. But the ensuing picture based upon formal rules is complemented by a discussion of countries in which the formal rules do not jibe with actual constitutional practice (see Kozubík, Chytilek 2013;Hloušek et al 2013).…”