Monaco is a European country located next to France. Monaco is a city state, the second smallest state in the world, and recognized as the most expensive in the world. The population of this country is approx 39,050 with 2.08 square kilometers area. The official language is French, as well as Italian. About 86% are Christians, almost all of whom are Catholics. Besides, 11% of people do not believe in religion. The Prime Minister can be either a citizen of Monaco or a citizen of France. The Prince of Monaco interacted with the French government during the appointment of the Prime Minister. Many of the judiciary came from France.
Monaco's constitution has nothing interesting to mention. There is a mention of human rights, but it is conventional. The downside is dire. Monaco has a hereditary monarchy. Executive power is fully under the control of the monarchy. To vote in so-called Parliament, the voter must be 25 years of age. The Prince can dissolve Parliament after that consultation with the Crown Council. The president and three members of this so-called 7-members Crown Council are appointed by the prince himself. All the Supreme Court members are appointed by the prince. Different constitutional bodies can propose names for the Supreme Court, but if the prince does not like it, the name must be re-proposed.
Admirable Articles of Monaco's Constitution
Art 17
All Monegasques are equal before the law. There is no privilege among them.
Art 20
No penalty may be introduced or applied except by law.
Criminal law must ensure respect for individual personality and dignity. No one may be subjected to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.
Death penalty is abolished.
Criminal law cannot have any retroactive effect.
Facts of Monaco's Constitution
Art 1
The Principality of Monaco is a sovereign and independent State within the framework of the general principles of international law and of the particular conventions with France.
The territory of the Principality is unalienable.
Art 2
The principle of government is the hereditary and constitutional monarchy.
The Principality is a State under the rule of law, committed to fundamental freedoms and rights.
Art 3
The executive power is exercised by the highest authority of the Prince.
The Prince's persona is inviolable.
Art 9
The Catholic, Apostolic and Roman religion is the religion of the State.
Art 10
The succession to the Throne, opened by death or by abdication, takes place by the direct and legitimate issue of the reigning Prince, by order of primogeniture with priority given to males within the same degree of kinship.
In the absence of direct legitimate issue, the succession passes to the brothers and sisters of the reigning prince and their direct legitimate descendants, by order of primogeniture with priority given to males within the same degree of kinship.
If the heir, who would have acceded by virtue of the preceding paragraphs is deceased or renounced the Throne before the succession became open, the succession passes to His own direct legitimate descendants by order of primogeniture with priority given to males within the same degree of kinship.
If the application of the preceding paragraphs does not fill the vacancy of the Throne, the succession passes to a collateral heir appointed by the Crown Council upon same advice of the Regency Council. The powers of the prince are temporarily held by the Regency Council.
The Throne can only pass to a person holding Monegasque citizenship on the day the succession opens.
The procedures of application of this article are set, as needed, by the House Laws of the Sovereign Family promulgated by Sovereign ordinance.
Art 11
The Prince can exercise His sovereign powers if He has reached His adult hood fixed at the age of eighteen.
During the Prince's adolescence or in case the Prince is unable to exercise His functions, the organisation and conditions of exercise of the Regency are provided for by the House Laws of the Sovereign Family.
Art 43
Government is exercised, under the gracious authority of the Prince, by a Minister of State, assisted by a Government Council.
Art 46
Sovereign Ordinances, which are excluded from debate in the Government Council and presentation to the Minister of State, pertain to:
● The House Laws of the Sovereign Family and these of its members
● The affairs of the Direction of the Judicial Department
● The appointment of members of the Sovereign Household, the diplomatic and consular corps, the Minister of State, the Government Councillors and assimilated civil servants, the magistrates in the judiciary
● The issue of exequatur to consuls
● The dissolution of the National Council
● The granting of honour titles
Art 54
All Monegasque electors of either gender, aged at least twenty-five, who have held the Monegasque nationality for at least five years, and who are not deprived of the right to stand for election for any of the causes set forth by law, are eligible.
Law determines which offices are incompatible with the National Councillor’s mandate.
Art 74
The Prince may, after having taken the advice of the Crown Council pronounce the dissolution of the National Council. If this occurs, new elections take place within a period of three months.
Art 75
The Crown Council consists of seven members of Monegasque nationality, appointed by the Prince for a period of three years.
The President and three other members are directly appointed by the Prince.
Three members are appointed at the suggestion of the National Council, chosen from outside its members.
The offices of Minister of State and Government Councillor are incompatible with those of President or member of the Crown Council.
Art 89
Supreme Court is composed of five full members and two substitute members.
The Supreme Courts members are appointed by the Prince, as follows:
● One full member and one substitute member are introduced by the National Council from outside its members
● One full member and one substitute member are introduced by the State Council from outside its members
● One full member is introduced by the Crown Council from outside its members
● One full member is introduced by the Court of Appeal from outside its members
● One full member is introduced by the Civil Court of First Instance from outside its members.
These introductions are done by each of the bodies here above mentioned at the rate of two per seat.
If the Prince does not agree with these introductions, He is free to require new ones.
The President of the Supreme Court is appointed by the Prince.
