Directorial system
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A directorial system is a regime ruled by a college of several people who jointly exercise the powers of a head of state and/or a head of government.
Current directorial systems
Countries with directorial heads of state sharing ceremonial functions:
- File:Flag of Andorra.svg Andorra: co-princes
- File:Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina.svg Bosnia and Herzegovina: presidency
- File:Flag of Eswatini.svg Eswatini: Ngwenyama and Ndlovukati
- File:Flag of San Marino.svg San Marino: Captains Regent
Countries governed by a directorial system:
- File:Flag of Nicaragua.svg Nicaragua: co-presidents
- File:Flag of San Marino.svg San Marino: Congress of State
- File:Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Switzerland: Federal Council
Supranational and subnational entities governed by a directorial system:
- File:Flag of Europe.svg European Union: European Council and European Commission
- File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Northern Ireland: First Minister and deputy First Minister
- File:Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Switzerland: cantons
Directorial republic in Switzerland
One country now using this form of government is Switzerland,[1] and to a lesser extent San Marino, where directories rule all levels of administration, federal, cantonal and municipal. On the face of it, the Swiss Federal Council might appear to be a typical parliamentary government; technically, however, it is not a meeting of ministers, but a college of heads of state and simultaneously the federal cabinet. The current president of the confederation is in fact only a primus inter pares (first among equals) with representative functions in particular for diplomacy with other States, without any power either of direction or of coordination of the activity of colleagues.[2] The Swiss Federal Council is elected by the Federal Assembly for four years, and is composed of seven members, among whom one is president and one is vice-president on a rotating basis, although these positions are symbolic in normal circumstances. The link between the Swiss managerial system and the presidential system is even more evident for the cantonal governments, where currently all directors are all individually directly elected by the voters.[3]
History
In political history, the term directory, in French Script error: No such module "Lang"., is applied to high collegial institutions of state composed of members styled director. Early directorial systems were the Ambrosian Republic (1447-1450), the Bohemian Revolt (1618–1620), New England Confederation (1643–1686), partially in First Stadtholderless Period of Dutch Republic (1650–1672), Pennsylvania Constitution of 1776 and the Directory of 1795–1799 in France.[4]
The French Directory was inspired by the Pennsylvania Constitution of 1776, which prominently featured a collegial 12-member Supreme Executive Council with the president in fact only primus inter pares (first among equals). Variants of this form of government, based on the French model, were also established in the European regions conquered by France during the French Revolutionary Wars. Directorial systems have a lower presidentialism metric value compared to presidential systems due to lower concentration of political power in the hands of one individual.[5] Military juntas differ from the directorial system by not being elected. Utilizing sortition to select multiple executives can lead to a directorial system.
Former directorial systems
In the past, countries with elected directories include:
- Bohemian Revolt from 1618 to 1620
- File:English Red Ensign 1620.svg New England Confederation from 1643 to 1686
- File:Flag of The Commonwealth.svg Commonwealth of England from 1649 to 1653
- File:Statenvlag.svg Dutch Republic partially in First Stadtholderless Period from 1650 to 1672
- File:Flag of Pennsylvania.svg Pennsylvania - Supreme Executive Council of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania from 1777 to 1790
- Template:Country data First French Republic - French Directory from 1795 to 1799
- File:Flag of the Repubblica Cisalpina.svg Cisalpine Republic from 1795 to 1799
- File:Flag of the Cispadane Republic.svg Cispadane Republic from 1796 to 1797
- File:Flag of the Repubblica Romana (1798).svg Roman Republic (1798–1799) from 1798 to 1799
- File:Flag of Parthenopaean Republic (1799).svg Parthenopaean Republic in 1799
- File:Flag of Costa Rica.svg Costa Rica - The Town's Legates Junta and High Government Junta from 1821 to 1823
- File:Flag of the Roman Republic (19th century).svg Roman Republic (1849) from 1849 to 1850 (Triumvirate)
- Template:Country data Ukrainian People's Republic - Directorate of Ukraine from 1918 to 1920[6]
- File:Flag of the Republic of China.svg Republic of China - Nationalist Government - from 1928 to 1947
- File:Flag of Uruguay.svg Uruguay - National Council of Administration from 1919 to 1933 and National Council of Government from 1952 to 1967
- File:Flag of East Germany.svg East Germany - State Council of East Germany from 1960 to 1990
- Template:Country data Union of Soviet Socialist Republics - Presidium of the Supreme Soviet from 1938 to 1989
- Template:Country data Polish People's Republic - State Council of the Polish People's Republic from 1952 to 1989
See also
References
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- ↑ Directory (French history) at the Encyclopædia Britannica
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- ↑ Directory (Ukrainian ruling body) at the Encyclopædia Britannica
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