Is there an existing government today, or one at any point in history that has had all three of the following at the same time?:
a monarch, a prime minister, and a president
a monarch, a prime minister, and a president
A Nations Question
- Thread starter Alternatehistoryguy47
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Definitely not today, and can't think of an historical example offhand. Having two heads of state is basically ASB unless you're in a civil war scenario.
How would having two heads of state work anyway? Maybe the Monarch is used for ceremonial purposes while the President deals with foreign dignitaries?
Canada, if you speak French:
Monarch - Queen Elizabeth II
PM - Stephen Harper
President (of the Senate) - Noel Kinsella
Similar situation (Monarch, PM, President of Senate) for Antigua & Barbuda, Australia, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, and (until it became Sri Lanka) the Dominion of Ceylon.
Cambodia has a monarch, a PM, and two Presidents: one of the National Assembly, one of the Senate.
Monarch - Queen Elizabeth II
PM - Stephen Harper
President (of the Senate) - Noel Kinsella
Similar situation (Monarch, PM, President of Senate) for Antigua & Barbuda, Australia, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, and (until it became Sri Lanka) the Dominion of Ceylon.
Cambodia has a monarch, a PM, and two Presidents: one of the National Assembly, one of the Senate.
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Kinsella is not the President, he is the Speaker of the Senate. Or in American terms, president pro tem, since the Government Leader (Majority Leader) runs the Senate in practice. That's like calling Inouye Obama's co-equal as head of state, which is preposterous.
His title is President. He might fill a different role, but he still has the title.
A monarch and a president, that is, two heads of state at the same time, one of royal blood and the other a commoner? Don't think so.
Napoleon the Third and Ahmet Zogolli began as presidents and became monarchs, and ancient Sparta has a complicated system with two kings and an elder assembly, but that is all.
Napoleon the Third and Ahmet Zogolli began as presidents and became monarchs, and ancient Sparta has a complicated system with two kings and an elder assembly, but that is all.
Andorra has a PM and co-princes in persons of Nicolas Sarkozy (who is also president of France) and bishop of Urgell. So Sharky is both president and (co-) prince.
Not sure if it counts since it's about titles, not actual positions.
France has semi-presidential system where both PM and president have political power, unlike rest of continental republics where president is a symbolic figure, not unlike monarch.
Though I don't know any OTL examples, I have no difficulties imagining how such an arrangement could work.
Though the Japanese Emperor acts as a head of state of Japan, the Constitution only calls him "the symbol of the state and of the unity of the people ". I think you don't need a large POD to have a Japanese constitution where Japan has a president as head of state and the emperor really is only a symbol without any political role.
On the other hand, you could look a the Commonwealth realm. They have a prime-minister as the head of government, a queen as a de-jure head of state, and a governor-generals as a de-facto head of state.
Though the Japanese Emperor acts as a head of state of Japan, the Constitution only calls him "the symbol of the state and of the unity of the people ". I think you don't need a large POD to have a Japanese constitution where Japan has a president as head of state and the emperor really is only a symbol without any political role.
On the other hand, you could look a the Commonwealth realm. They have a prime-minister as the head of government, a queen as a de-jure head of state, and a governor-generals as a de-facto head of state.
Athens
Maybe ancient Athens?
Eponymos archon= President Polemarch= Prime Minister
Archon Basileus= King
I know it's not an exact fit, but if you're fishing for a conceptual model, it might work.
Maybe ancient Athens?
Eponymos archon= President Polemarch= Prime Minister
Archon Basileus= King
I know it's not an exact fit, but if you're fishing for a conceptual model, it might work.
But the French president does fill the office as one of the Princes of Andorra.
So far, all the examples we've seen so far have two people filling in for three offices.