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Monarchies of Europe

Try to name the countries of Europe that are still, technically speaking, monarchies.
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Quiz by KoljiVriVoda
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Last updated: May 10, 2020
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First submittedDecember 23, 2015
Times taken61,193
Average score83.3%
Rating4.91
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Country
Andorra
Belgium
Denmark
Liechtenstein
Luxembourg
Monaco
Country
Netherlands
Norway
Spain
Sweden
United Kingdom
Vatican City
+28
Level 87
Jun 28, 2019
Interesting -- Pope Francis is the sovereign of one of these, and also the boss of a sovereign of another one of these (Andorra)
+17
Level 72
Jun 28, 2019
Does Andorra count as a monarchy since it has two equal heads of state? "Monarchy" implies one.
+12
Level 78
Jun 28, 2019
And both of them are elected!
+16
Level 77
Jun 29, 2019
Paradox.
+2
Level 75
Sep 8, 2019
Only one of them is elected (the French President). The other one is not (the Spanish King).
+44
Level 70
Sep 8, 2019
@HBK97 the second co-prince is the Bishop of Urgell, not the King of Spain
+11
Level 57
Apr 9, 2020
Both of them might be elected but not by the people of Andorra which is probably one of the biggest reasons why it still considered a monarchy.
+4
Level 63
Jul 1, 2019
Andorra is not a "pure" monarchy but I'm sure it still counts, as it is a parliamentary monarchy.
+9
Level 80
Jul 1, 2019
I think DrWatson was just wondering if it fitted in this category because there are two co-princes and it's therefore a form of diarchy instead of monarchy.
+5
Level 71
Sep 8, 2019
I agree. Since the description explicitly states "technically speaking", Andorra should not be there as it's a diarchy, which can be considered an oligarchy, but for sure not a monarchy, as there is no single head of state.
+3
Level 56
Apr 22, 2020
Certainly does. I think Andorra may be the only remaining dyarchy in the world - not a monarchy. Pedantic I realise, but that's kind of what this website is about :-)
+3
Level 49
May 19, 2021
you could count eswatini a diarchy, because the power there is essentially divided between the king and his mother
+1
Level 56
Jan 28, 2023
AND (according to Wikipedia) San Marino is also a dyarchy, with two 'Captains Regent'. Well, you learn a new thing eh.
+1
Level 49
May 19, 2021
form of government: diarchy

form of state: monarchy

+1
Level 49
Feb 11, 2024
Aha! a distinction without a difference.
+2
Level 92
Jun 28, 2019
Oof, 2 seconds left. That's closer than I've cut one in a looong time.
+3
Level 58
Jun 30, 2021
You haven’t cut one in a long time? You must be quite bound up. 😛
+6
Level 72
Jun 29, 2019
The Pope counts as a monarch? Hhhmmmmmm
+4
Level 63
Jul 1, 2019
Why not? He fits the definition. No need to be a royal heir.
+2
Level 80
Jul 3, 2019
Elected for life - that's better than the king of Malaysia.
+4
Level 37
Sep 13, 2019
Elected for life. Would that make him a benevolent dictator?
+3
Level 62
Dec 11, 2020
The pope is a separate title from the king of Vatican City, I believe, as, possibly, is the title of Pontifex Maximus. They are just always held by the same person, who is generally referred to by his role as the pope of the Roman Catholic church

see https://www.cgpgrey.com/blog/vatican-city-explained

+2
Level 49
May 19, 2021
actually, hes the sovereign of the vatican, not the king. CGPgrey made an error there.
+3
Level 64
Aug 8, 2021
Elective monarchies used to be pretty common. It is basically how tribal Germanic societies worked, and it continued for centuries into the Middle Ages and in some cases the Early Modern Period. Probably the best known elective monarchies in history were the Holy Roman Empire and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
+3
Level 67
Jul 7, 2019
Would love to see one of these for the rest of the world!
+1
Level 70
Sep 8, 2019
+8
Level 56
Sep 8, 2019
Never would have guessed Vatican City, but fortunately it is the only European country that comes after the UK alphabetically, so it was implied by the UK being the second to last answer. :-)
+9
Level 74
Sep 8, 2019
Why the word "still", in the title? It's very suggestive, even though I fully recognize that the number of monarchies is less than a few centuries ago.
+3
Level 61
Oct 25, 2020
Presumably the question writer does not approve of Monarchies and thought it correct to use 'still' in a dismissive or condescending manner.
+7
Level 64
Aug 8, 2021
Fully agreed. As somebody who lives in a constitutional monarchy that was once a republic (the Netherlands), I wouldn't want to switch back if I could. I don't think there's a better system of government than a constitutional monarchy in which the monarch has no political power, but does take care of all the ceremonial parts of the job as head of state. Doesn't make a country any less democratic (because the monarch has no political power), but it does mean that your head of state is politically neutral, and can thus actually represent the entire country, instead of just their own voter base.
+1
Level 43
Feb 20, 2024
But your head of gov fake monarch isn't representing anyone.... They have no power and no say over anything so they represent nothing except the fact that their ancestors had power at some point.
+6
Level 68
Sep 11, 2019
God save the Queen - probably the best Queen in the world (or at least top 3)
+1
Level 51
Dec 28, 2019
Brilliant sex pistols song
+1
Level 60
Aug 15, 2020
Come on. Monarchy and theocracy are pretty well known to be different, just because pope is elected for life, doesn't make him "technically" a king.
+7
Level 49
May 19, 2021
the constitution of the vatican city says for the pope of the holy see to be the sovereign of the vatican city, and states that the vatican is an absolute monarchy. nothing about the vatican is theocratic, since the vatican and the holy see are 2 different entities.
+3
Level 57
Dec 2, 2020
How could I get them all except the most iconic, UK..
+4
Level 49
May 19, 2021
why "technically speaking"? they are a monarchy, even if youre not speaking technically
+3
Level 73
Jan 6, 2022
Because the most of the monarchs do not have absolute power but instead are head of state/symbols of their country while the actual judicial, legislative, and executive powers are given to another entity such as a democratically elected parliament. These powers are usually outlined in the country's constitution, but the UK and some other countries do not have a single constitution but instead a series of laws that together act as a constitution.
+3
Level 56
Jan 28, 2023
How often have monarchies actually been dictatorships though? The last king of England to have absolute power, as far as I'm aware, was John, up to 1215 when he signed Magna Carta. I don't think anyone seriously says England became a 'technical' monarchy at that point.
+1
Level 59
Jan 28, 2023
England was a pretty big exception. There’s never been a true absolutism, but it’s very clear that most if these countries on this list are not led by their monarch
+1
Level 82
Jan 28, 2023
Jon: from c. 3000 BC - 1688 AD virtually all of them were either absolute dictatorships or at the very least gave executive authority to the monarch. Quite different from having a monarch as figurehead.
+2
Level 56
Feb 1, 2023
Yes, I understand that - I just don't think it stops them from being a monarchy, the etymological meaning of the word notwithstanding. I realise it gives the word rather a circular definition, but it does seem to be the normal understanding of the word today.
+3
Level 67
Jan 28, 2023
let me nitpick for one moment... done. fun quiz.
+2
Level 34
Jan 28, 2023
Loved the quiz rlly nice.
+1
Level 67
Feb 1, 2023
Forgot Vatican