The Constitution of Monaco, first adopted in 1911 after the

Monégasque Revolution The Monégasque Revolution () was a series of confrontations by the subjects of Monaco against their ruler, Prince Albert I. It led to the end of absolute monarchy with the promulgation of the Constitution of Monaco the following year. Popul ...

and heavily revised by Prince

Rainier III Rainier III (Rainier Louis Henri Maxence Bertrand Grimaldi; 31 May 1923 – 6 April 2005) was Prince of Monaco from 1949 to his death in 2005. Rainier ruled the Principality of Monaco for almost 56 years. Rainier was born at the Prince's Pala ...

on 17 December 1962, outlines three branches of government, including several administrative offices and a number of councils, who share advisory and legislative power with the

prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The ...

. The constitution also defines the

line of succession to the Monegasque throne The succession to the throne of the Principality of Monaco is currently governed by Princely Law 1.249 of 2 April 2002. Eligibility Under the constitution of Monaco, the crown passes according to male-preference cognatic primogeniture. Only ...

; this section was modified on 2 April 2002. By word count, it is the shortest constitution in the world currently in force.

Executive branch

The prince retains the highest executive power, but the principality's head of government is the

minister of state Minister of state is a designation for a government minister, with varying meanings in different jurisdictions. In a number of European countries, the title is given as an honorific conferring a higher rank, often bestowed upon senior minister ...

, who presides over a six-member

Council of Government The Council of Government (French: ''Conseil de gouvernement'') of Monaco is the Prince's governing body. It consists of six members: Minister of State, who chairs the council, and the five members (four counsellors and one delegate); he also ...

, helps advise the prince, and is responsible for enforcing the laws. The principality's local affairs (i.e., the administration of the four quarters of

Monaco-Ville Monaco City ( ; ) is the southcentral ward in the Principality of Monaco. Located on a headland that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, it is nicknamed The Rock (; ). The name "Monaco City" is misleading: it is not itself a city, but a histor ...

La Condamine La Condamine (; ) is the central ward and a quartier in the Principality of Monaco. The quartier's landmarks include Port Hercules, the Rainier III Nautical Stadium, and the Princess Antoinette Park. Its farmers' market, at ''Place d'Armes, ...

Monte Carlo Monte Carlo ( ; ; or colloquially ; , ; ) is an official administrative area of Monaco, specifically the Ward (country subdivision), ward of Monte Carlo/Spélugues, where the Monte Carlo Casino is located. Informally, the name also refers to ...

, and Fontvieille) are directed by the Communal Council, which consists of fifteen elected members and is presided over by the mayor.

Legislative branch

Under the 1962 constitution, the prince shares his power with the unicameral National Council, the Principality's legislative body. Though it is independent of the prince and may act contrary to his wishes, his signature is required to confirm any of its proposed laws.

Judicial branch

Judicial power is invested in the prince, who delegates judicial procedures to the various courts, which dispense justice in his name. The independence of the judges is guaranteed by the constitution. The Supreme Court of Monaco is composed of five chief members and two assistant judges named by the prince on the basis of nominations by the National Council and other government bodies. The Supreme Court is the highest court for judicial appeals and also interprets the constitution when necessary. Monaco's legal system, closely related to that of France, is patterned after the

Napoleonic Code The Napoleonic Code (), officially the Civil Code of the French (; simply referred to as ), is the French civil code established during the French Consulate in 1804 and still in force in France, although heavily and frequently amended since i ...

References

External links

Constitution de la Principauté
(in French)
Constitution of the Principality
(in English) Politics of Monaco

Monaco Monaco, officially the Principality of Monaco, is a Sovereign state, sovereign city-state and European microstates, microstate on the French Riviera a few kilometres west of the Regions of Italy, Italian region of Liguria, in Western Europe, ...

Government of Monaco {{constitution-stub