Question

Which of the following are the characteristics of constitutional monarchy?
A) An elected representative acts as the head of the state.
B) The king is the leader of the parliament
C) If the monarch is the head of the state, he plays the symbolic role
D) None of these

Answer 1

Hint: Although monarchy in its purest form is now uncommon, it was the most popular form of governance in the world during the Middle Ages. Monarchs are the heads of state in 44 sovereign nations across the world today. Brunei, Oman, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia are absolute monarchies in the Middle East, Swaziland in Africa, and the Vatican in Europe, while the remainder are constitutional monarchies.

Complete answer:
A constitutional monarchy is a form of government in which the monarch's responsibilities as head of state are carried out within the confines of the constitution. It is not necessary for the constitution to be written or codified; it can be unwritten, as in the case of the United Kingdom. The king preserves his unique position in terms of legal and ceremonial roles, but has limited or no political power in this style of monarchy.

The king, the head of government, and the constitution all share power in a constitutional monarchy. The head of state in some constitutional monarchies may be purely ceremonial. Powers vary amongst countries in constitutional monarchies with a non-purely ceremonial head of state, but most allow for the following:
- The Prime Minister's election
- Having the power to give pardons
- Capacity to manage international relations
- The authority to make laws

A constitutional monarchy today has the following characteristics:
- The king is the monarchy's head of state.
- The prime minister is in charge of the government.
- The title of king is passed down through the generations, and once anointed, it is held for life.
- The constitution of any country binds both the head of state and the head of government.

The correct option is ‘C’ i.e, If the monarch is the head of the state, he plays the symbolic role.

Note: The executive authority of a constitutional monarchy is vested in the head of state, as it is in most republics. Today, constitutional monarchy is nearly usually linked with representative democracy, and it reflects a compromise between total trust in the public and well-bred and well-trained monarchs prepared for the position from birth (as a theory of civics).