monarkia

Monarkia, or monarchy, is a form of government in which a person—the monarch—serves as head of state. Monarchs typically inherit the position and rule for life, though some monarchies are elective rather than hereditary.

Two broad forms exist: absolute monarchies, where the monarch retains significant political authority; and constitutional or ceremonial monarchies, where the monarch’s duties are largely representative and political power is exercised by elected bodies and officials.

History: Monarchies arose in ancient and medieval societies and became widespread worldwide. The rise of constitutionalism in the 18th–20th centuries reduced royal power in many states, leading to the largely ceremonial role seen in most current monarchies.

Contemporary landscape: Today monarchies persist in diverse forms. Constitutional monarchies include the United Kingdom, Sweden, Japan, Canada, Australia, the Netherlands, Spain, Norway, Denmark, and Belgium, among others; the monarch acts as a unifying symbol with limited or no political powers. Malaysia practices an elective monarchy in which Malay rulers elect a king for a five-year term. In other states such as Saudi Arabia and Eswatini, the monarch retains substantial governing authority, though political structures exist. In many cases, the monarchy remains an important cultural and ceremonial institution tied to national identity.