semifederal

Semifederal is a term used in political science to describe constitutional arrangements that lie between federal and unitary models. It refers to systems that incorporate some features of federalism—such as a division of competences between central and subnational governments—without possessing the full, formal structure of a federation. The label signals a spectrum rather than a fixed category, and its exact meaning can vary by author.

In semifederal arrangements, the central government typically retains substantial authority over core domains such as defense, monetary policy, and foreign affairs, while subnational units enjoy a degree of policy autonomy in other areas. The allocation of powers may be codified, or it may depend on statutes, administrative practice, or political arrangements that can be altered more easily than in a mature federation. Fiscal relations are often centralized or characterized by conditional transfers, with regional governments relying on the center to a greater extent than in a federal system. Dispute resolution may occur through constitutional courts, political negotiation, or hierarchical oversight.

Scholars use semifederal to describe states that are more decentralized than fully unitary states but less clearly divided into sovereign regions than traditional federations. The term has been applied to contexts where regional authorities operate with distinct powers yet remain subordinate to a strong central government, producing a governance arrangement that blends centralized and regional features.

See also: federalism, unitary state, devolution, asymmetric federalism.