Parliamentary monarchy is a special type of government in which the real power, constitutional legal status of the autocrat is significantly limited by constitutional provisions. Thus, the head of state reigns, but does not rule. The parliamentary monarchy presupposes only the formal existence of the rights of the monarch. The autocrat either does not use his right to veto laws in practice or uses this right in accordance with the direction of the government.
The parliamentary monarchy assumes the political responsibility of the government for its activities before parliament. If the latter expresses distrust or refuses to trust the former, the government will be forced to resign on its own or the head of state will resign him.
As a rule, a parliamentary monarchy does not provide for the independent activity of an autocrat (king). All his acts are prepared and sealed by the government. Acts are countersigned by the head of government or by this or that minister. Otherwise, normative documents will not have legal force.
Judicial power is exercised by independent courts, but the enforcement of judgments and the enforcement of sentences is carried out on behalf of the king.
But these facts should not be perceived in such a way that a parliamentary monarchy gives the king’s institution a purely nominal character. A certain detachment of the autocrat from the process of governing the country does not mean that his role in domestic politics is reduced to zero. In this case, we should recall the Spanish king Juan Carlos, who, being the Supreme Commander, prevented a military coup in the country. Moreover, in some parliamentary monarchies (for example, in Thailand, Malaysia and others), heads of state are endowed with significant powers and rights.
A state has a parliamentary regime or parliamentarism, provided that there is not a single party that has a majority in parliament and is able to form a one-party government. Moreover, the wider the party coalition, the more difficult it is for partners in it to reach agreement on resolving various political issues. Often when one party withdraws its representatives from the government, it loses its majority in parliament and is forced to resign.
Today, parliamentary monarchies are considered much more widespread than dualistic and absolute. However, in many cases, only a tribute to tradition is paid, which helps to maintain citizens' respect for the state. Thus, modern parliamentary monarchies have insignificant differences from the republics. Moreover, there is in some way an “intermediate form of government”. An elected monarchy is a type of state system in which the next monarch does not automatically inherit power (after leaving, expiring, or dying of the previous one). In this case, the head of the country is elected real or formal.
It should be noted that parliamentary monarchies exist in fairly developed countries. In these states, the transition to the industrial system from the agrarian one took place, without being accompanied by fundamental changes in the existing institutions of power. A gradual adaptation to new conditions was carried out. These countries include the UK, Japan, Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain, Belgium, Canada and others. These powers are characterized by a developed separation of powers against the backdrop of recognition by the parliament of power over executive bodies, as well as, if not democratic, then, in any case, a liberal state regime.