coprincipality

A coprincipality is a political arrangement in which sovereignty is vested in two or more rulers who serve as joint heads of state. The term blends the Latin prefix co- with principality to signal shared princely status. In practice, many coprinces hold largely ceremonial roles, while real legislative and executive authority is exercised by elected bodies or appointed officials within a constitutional framework.

The best-known example is the Coprincipality of Andorra. Since the Pareatge of 1278, sovereignty over Andorra has been shared by two sovereigns: the Bishop of Urgell and the President of France. In modern Andorra, the co-princes act as heads of state largely through representatives, while the day-to-day government is conducted by the Cap de Govern (head of government) and the General Council. Laws are promulgated in the name of the co-princes, but practical political power rests with Andorra’s elected institutions.

Historically, coprinces emerged from feudal arrangements aimed at balancing ecclesiastical and secular authority and to resolve local disputes through shared sovereignty. The Andorran model was codified in constitutional developments, culminating in the 1993 constitution that established Andorra as a parliamentary democracy with the co-princes retaining a largely symbolic, unifying role. The concept remains rare in modern state practice and is most often discussed in comparative constitutional contexts or historical analyses, occasionally appearing in speculative or fictional treatments of shared sovereignty.

In sum, a coprincipality describes a system of joint heads of state within a constitutional framework, where ceremonial duties and symbolic legitimacy are balanced against ordinary political governance conducted by elected institutions.