Duumvirate
Encyclopedia
A duumvirate is an alliance between two equally powerful political or military leaders. The term can also be used to describe a state with two different military leaders who both declare themselves to be the sole leader of the state.
The tiny Europe
an nation
of Andorra
is nominally a duumvirate, as it is ruled by two co-prince
s, one of whom is Nicolas Sarkozy
, the President of France, the other of whom is Joan Enric Vives i Sicília, Bishop of the Diocese of Urgell
, although the Andorran prime minister
wields de facto power as the head of government
. Duumvirates in history include the city-states of Carthage
, ruled by two mayors (Suffets), and Ancient Rome
, ruled by two Consul
s. Sparta was also ruled by two kings, thus a duumvirate.
Some political parties have duumvirates, sometimes, such as is the case of Lindsey German
and John Rees
in the Socialist Workers Party
in Britain.
The First Whitlam Ministry
in Australia
is sometimes called the "Duumvirate" because it consisted entirely of the Prime Minister
, Gough Whitlam
, and his deputy, Lance Barnard
, who between them split up all ministerial and quasi-ministerial positions for two weeks in December 1972.
It has been suggested that Vladimir Putin
and Dmitri Medvedev represent a modern Russian
duumvirate, sometimes referred as тандемократия, “tandemocracy”, a compound of “tandem
” and “-cracy”, at the same time a portmanteau with “democracy” (see Sovereign democracy
).
The tiny Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an nation
Nation
A nation may refer to a community of people who share a common language, culture, ethnicity, descent, and/or history. In this definition, a nation has no physical borders. However, it can also refer to people who share a common territory and government irrespective of their ethnic make-up...
of Andorra
Andorra
Andorra , officially the Principality of Andorra , also called the Principality of the Valleys of Andorra, , is a small landlocked country in southwestern Europe, located in the eastern Pyrenees mountains and bordered by Spain and France. It is the sixth smallest nation in Europe having an area of...
is nominally a duumvirate, as it is ruled by two co-prince
Prince
Prince is a general term for a ruler, monarch or member of a monarch's or former monarch's family, and is a hereditary title in the nobility of some European states. The feminine equivalent is a princess...
s, one of whom is Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy is the 23rd and current President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra. He assumed the office on 16 May 2007 after defeating the Socialist Party candidate Ségolène Royal 10 days earlier....
, the President of France, the other of whom is Joan Enric Vives i Sicília, Bishop of the Diocese of Urgell
Diocese of Urgell
The Diocese of Urgell is a Roman Catholic diocese in Catalonia, Spain, with origins in the fifth century AD or possibly earlier. It is based in the region of the historical Catalan county of Urgell, though it has different borders...
, although the Andorran prime minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
wields de facto power as the head of government
Head of government
Head of government is the chief officer of the executive branch of a government, often presiding over a cabinet. In a parliamentary system, the head of government is often styled prime minister, chief minister, premier, etc...
. Duumvirates in history include the city-states of Carthage
Carthage
Carthage , implying it was a 'new Tyre') is a major urban centre that has existed for nearly 3,000 years on the Gulf of Tunis, developing from a Phoenician colony of the 1st millennium BC...
, ruled by two mayors (Suffets), and Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
, ruled by two Consul
Roman consul
A consul served in the highest elected political office of the Roman Republic.Each year, two consuls were elected together, to serve for a one-year term. Each consul was given veto power over his colleague and the officials would alternate each month...
s. Sparta was also ruled by two kings, thus a duumvirate.
Some political parties have duumvirates, sometimes, such as is the case of Lindsey German
Lindsey German
Lindsey German is the convenor of the British anti-war organisation Stop the War Coalition and a former member of the central committee of the Socialist Workers Party. She was editor of Socialist Review for twenty years until 2004...
and John Rees
John Rees
John Rees may refer to:*John Rees , British political activist *John Rees , American journalist*Conway Rees, John Conway Rees, Welsh rugby union international...
in the Socialist Workers Party
Socialist Workers Party (Britain)
The Socialist Workers Party is a far left party in Britain founded by Tony Cliff. The SWP's student section has groups at a number of universities...
in Britain.
The First Whitlam Ministry
First Whitlam Ministry
The First Whitlam Ministry, often known as the "two-man Ministry" or the "Duumvirate", was the forty-eighth Australian Commonwealth ministry, and ran from 5 to 19 December 1972....
in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
is sometimes called the "Duumvirate" because it consisted entirely of the Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Australia
The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful...
, Gough Whitlam
Gough Whitlam
Edward Gough Whitlam, AC, QC , known as Gough Whitlam , served as the 21st Prime Minister of Australia. Whitlam led the Australian Labor Party to power at the 1972 election and retained government at the 1974 election, before being dismissed by Governor-General Sir John Kerr at the climax of the...
, and his deputy, Lance Barnard
Lance Barnard
Lance Herbert Barnard AO , Australian politician, was Deputy Prime Minister of Australia for most of the Labor government of Gough Whitlam....
, who between them split up all ministerial and quasi-ministerial positions for two weeks in December 1972.
It has been suggested that Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin served as the second President of the Russian Federation and is the current Prime Minister of Russia, as well as chairman of United Russia and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Union of Russia and Belarus. He became acting President on 31 December 1999, when...
and Dmitri Medvedev represent a modern Russian
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
duumvirate, sometimes referred as тандемократия, “tandemocracy”, a compound of “tandem
Tandem
Tandem is an arrangement where a team of machines, animals or people are lined up one behind another, all facing in the same direction....
” and “-cracy”, at the same time a portmanteau with “democracy” (see Sovereign democracy
Sovereign democracy
Sovereign democracy is a term that with regard to Russian politics was first used by Vladislav Surkov on the 22nd of February 2006 in a speech before a gathering of the Russian political party United Russia...
).
See also
- DiarchyDiarchyDiarchy , from the Greek δι- "twice" and αρχια, "rule", is a form of government in which two individuals, the diarchs, are the heads of state. In most diarchies, the diarchs hold their position for life and pass the responsibilities and power of the position to their children or family when they...
- rule by two people - DuoviriDuoviriIn ancient Rome, duumviri was the official style of two joint magistrates...
- ancient Roman magistracy of two men - TriumvirateTriumvirateA triumvirate is a political regime dominated by three powerful individuals, each a triumvir . The arrangement can be formal or informal, and though the three are usually equal on paper, in reality this is rarely the case...
- the equivalent term for three people - Decemvirate - the equivalent term for ten people
- Coregency - rule by two regents