The head of state is The concept, meaning, types and main features

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:54

The head of state is a person who defends the interests of the country from within and in the international arena. In each country, the election of the head of state depends on several factors, established traditions, previous experience and the views of the ruling elite.

Forms of government in countries

Regardless of the form of government, there is a head of state in all countries. The main task of the head of state is to resolve internal crises and represent the interests of the country at the international level.

The form of the head of the country is determined based on several criteria.

• The head of state in what way transfers power to the next head of state (by inheritance or through elections).
• The degree of commitment of the head of the country to the population.
• Distribution of responsibilities between public authorities.

Main forms of government:

• Monarchy - the power of the head of state belongs to one person for life and is transferred to the heir. The monarch does not bear any responsibility to the population of the country. If the monarchyabsolute, then all decisions are made by the head of the country (UAE, Vatican). In the case of a limited monarchy, there are other bodies of government that act according to the constitution and are accountable to the monarch. A limited monarchy can be represented by a parliamentary, constitutional, dualistic and estate-representative monarchy.
• Republic - a form of power in which the choice of the head of state is entrusted to the people, the highest authority is responsible for its actions to the population of the country. A republic can be presidential, parliamentary, mixed and directory.

Forms of government in some countries may be non-traditional. For example, republican monarchy, monarchical republic, Islamic republic.

Powers of the head of state

The functions of the head of state largely depend on the form of government in the country and may differ significantly. In some countries, the head of state has minimal functions, in others, all power is concentrated in the head of the country. But regardless of the form of government, the representative function is performed by all heads of state and is not controlled by other representatives of power.

Basic powers:

• participation in the adoption of laws;
• creating regulations;
• announcement of referendums on amending the constitution;
• suspension or repeal of government acts;
• foreign policy activities (sometimes formal);
• union of all public authorities, resolution of disputedquestions;
• ceremonial functions (awarding citizens of the country with insignia, issuing honorary titles, granting citizenship; addressing a message to the people or parliament;
• solves national defense issues, is the supreme commander;
• introduces a state of emergency in the country.

President

In a republic, the head of state is the president. In a presidential republic, the rights of the head of state are higher than in a parliamentary one.

In a parliamentary republic, the president does not take part in public affairs. He is mainly involved in representative affairs, but there are situations when the head of state is in opposition to the parliament and has a significant impact on the political development of the country.

In a presidential republic, the powers of the head in the political arena are very significant. He is the sole owner of executive power, can radically change the legislative process, resolve issues of defense capability and make decisions independently. Sometimes there are clashes between the president and parliament.

Monarchy

The monarch has the right to executive power, but this type of government is used in an absolute monarchy. The monarch makes his own decisions. In a parliamentary monarchy, the country is actually run by the parliament.

The post of monarchs is inherited, the heir takes over immediately after the death of the previous ruler. There are several types of systemsinheritance:

• Austrian - power can be transferred to women, but only if all possible male lines are completely suppressed (not used today);
• Salic - power is transferred only to men, sons, as a rule, the eldest;
• Castilian - power can be transferred to daughters in the absence of sons;
• Swedish - men and women have equal inheritance rights;
• Muslim - the choice of the heir is left to the elders, they can choose any relative of the deceased monarch;
• tribal - an heir is chosen from the sons of the head, it will not necessarily be the eldest son.

The monarch is an inviolable person and has the right to special treatment.

Election of the head of state of the republic

Presidential elections can take place in two ways:

• The head of state in the republic is elected by the Parliament. An absolute majority of votes must be obtained to elect a leader. Most often, such elections are not limited to the first round and the candidates - leaders of the first round go to the second. There is an opinion that a president chosen by officials is "weaker" than a president chosen by the people.
• President is elected by the people of the country. France, Russia, Ukraine have chosen this method. The conditions for election in each country are different, but according to the constitution of the republic. There may be restrictions on the number of re-elections, differences in the term of office of the president.
• The election of the head of state is carried out by an election commission, its members are vested with the right to vote. Germany, India and a number of other countries use thisway.
• Votes for the chapter are given by electors. Voters can vote for the electors and give them the power to choose the head of state. This is the norm in the US and some other countries.

Who can become head of state?

In order to become the leader of the republic and declare your candidacy for participation in the elections, you must meet the following requirements:

• Have citizenship of the state. The term of citizenship may vary, sometimes only 5 years are required, in some countries from birth.
• Permanent residence in the country. In Russia, this period is at least 10 years. The constitution of other countries may establish a different period.
• Achieving a certain age. In the Russian Federation, applications are accepted from citizens over 35 years old.
• The presence of voting rights. Special conditions without which the President cannot be elected. Higher education is necessary for candidates in Turkey, in Tunisia, belonging to the official religion, in Ukraine, knowledge of the national language.

Termination of presidential powers

The President resigns at the end of the term of election, resignation on his own initiative, for he alth reasons, removal from office. Suspension may be in the event of a serious crime or treason.

In the United States, in the event of the resignation of the president, his place is taken by the vice president of the country. For the remainder of the term, the Vice President will act.

Countries and forms of government

There are 29 countries all over the world in which the ruling form of the head of state is a monarchy, 12 of them with an absolute monarchy:

• The Kingdom of Bahrain is located in the Middle East;
• State of Brunei;
• Vatican located in Rome;
• Jordan;
• Qatar;
• Kuwait
• Luxembourg;
• Morocco;
• United Arab Emirates;
• Oman;
• Kingdom of Saudi Arabia;
• Kingdom of Swaziland.

There are a large number of countries that have abandoned autocracy and switched to a republican form of government. Among them is Russia, which, as a result of the 1917 revolution, ousted Emperor Nicholas II and chose a completely different form of power.