U.S. among few democracies that indirectly elect combined head of state and government
Number of democracies where leaders are …
Note: Data is based on 106 countries classified as democracies and includes some fully self-governing territories whose sovereign status is disputed.
Source: Pew Research Center analysis.
U.S. among few democracies that indirectly elect combined head of state and government
Number of democracies where leaders are …
| Democracy | Structure of government leadership | How leader is chosen |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Republic with combined head of state and government | Indirectly elected (by Electoral College) |
| Botswana | Republic with combined head of state and government | Indirectly elected (by legislature) |
| Marshall Islands | Republic with combined head of state and government | Indirectly elected (by legislature) |
| Micronesia, Federated States | Republic with combined head of state and government | Indirectly elected (by legislature) |
| Nauru | Republic with combined head of state and government | Indirectly elected (by legislature) |
| South Africa | Republic with combined head of state and government | Indirectly elected (by legislature) |
| Suriname | Republic with combined head of state and government | Indirectly elected (by legislature) |
| Switzerland | Republic with combined head of state and government | Indirectly elected (by legislature) |
| Argentina | Republic with combined head of state and government | Directly elected |
| Bolivia | Republic with combined head of state and government | Directly elected |
| Brazil | Republic with combined head of state and government | Directly elected |
| Chile | Republic with combined head of state and government | Directly elected |
| Colombia | Republic with combined head of state and government | Directly elected |
| Costa Rica | Republic with combined head of state and government | Directly elected |
| Cyprus | Republic with combined head of state and government | Directly elected |
| Dominican Republic | Republic with combined head of state and government | Directly elected |
| Ecuador | Republic with combined head of state and government | Directly elected |
| Ghana | Republic with combined head of state and government | Directly elected |
| Kiribati | Republic with combined head of state and government | Directly elected |
| Liberia | Republic with combined head of state and government | Directly elected |
| Malawi | Republic with combined head of state and government | Directly elected |
| Namibia | Republic with combined head of state and government | Directly elected |
| Palau | Republic with combined head of state and government | Directly elected |
| Panama | Republic with combined head of state and government | Directly elected |
| Paraguay | Republic with combined head of state and government | Directly elected |
| Peru | Republic with combined head of state and government | Directly elected |
| Philippines | Republic with combined head of state and government | Directly elected |
| Seychelles | Republic with combined head of state and government | Directly elected |
| South Korea | Republic with combined head of state and government | Directly elected |
| Sri Lanka | Republic with combined head of state and government | Directly elected |
| Uruguay | Republic with combined head of state and government | Directly elected |
| Albania | Republic with separate heads of state and government | Indirectly elected (by legislature) |
| Armenia | Republic with separate heads of state and government | Indirectly elected (by legislature) |
| Barbados | Republic with separate heads of state and government | Indirectly elected (by legislature) |
| Dominica | Republic with separate heads of state and government | Indirectly elected (by legislature) |
| Estonia | Republic with separate heads of state and government | Indirectly elected (by legislature) |
| Fiji | Republic with separate heads of state and government | Indirectly elected (by legislature) |
| Germany | Republic with separate heads of state and government | Indirectly elected (by assembly of national and local lawmakers) |
| Greece | Republic with separate heads of state and government | Indirectly elected (by legislature) |
| Hungary | Republic with separate heads of state and government | Indirectly elected (by legislature) |
| India | Republic with separate heads of state and government | Indirectly elected (by assembly of national and local lawmakers) |
| Israel | Republic with separate heads of state and government | Indirectly elected (by legislature) |
| Italy | Republic with separate heads of state and government | Indirectly elected (by assembly of national and local lawmakers) |
| Kosovo | Republic with separate heads of state and government | Indirectly elected (by legislature) |
| Latvia | Republic with separate heads of state and government | Indirectly elected (by legislature) |
| Malta | Republic with separate heads of state and government | Indirectly elected (by legislature) |
| Mauritius | Republic with separate heads of state and government | Indirectly elected (by legislature) |
| Nepal | Republic with separate heads of state and government | Indirectly elected (by assembly of national and local lawmakers) |
| Samoa | Republic with separate heads of state and government | Indirectly elected (by legislature) |
| San Marino | Republic with separate heads of state and government | Indirectly elected (by legislature) |
| Trinidad and Tobago | Republic with separate heads of state and government | Indirectly elected (by legislature) |
| Vanuatu | Republic with separate heads of state and government | Indirectly elected (by assembly of national and local lawmakers) |
| Austria | Republic with separate heads of state and government | Directly elected |
| Bulgaria | Republic with separate heads of state and government | Directly elected |
| Cape Verde | Republic with separate heads of state and government | Directly elected |
| Croatia | Republic with separate heads of state and government | Directly elected |
| Czech Republic | Republic with separate heads of state and government | Directly elected |
| East Timor | Republic with separate heads of state and government | Directly elected |
| Finland | Republic with separate heads of state and government | Directly elected |
| France | Republic with separate heads of state and government | Directly elected |
| Guyana | Republic with separate heads of state and government | Directly elected |
| Iceland | Republic with separate heads of state and government | Directly elected |
| Ireland | Republic with separate heads of state and government | Directly elected |
| Lithuania | Republic with separate heads of state and government | Directly elected |
| Moldova | Republic with separate heads of state and government | Directly elected |
| Mongolia | Republic with separate heads of state and government | Directly elected |
| Montenegro | Republic with separate heads of state and government | Directly elected |
| North Macedonia | Republic with separate heads of state and government | Directly elected |
| Northern Cyprus | Republic with separate heads of state and government | Directly elected |
| Poland | Republic with separate heads of state and government | Directly elected |
| Portugal | Republic with separate heads of state and government | Directly elected |
| Romania | Republic with separate heads of state and government | Directly elected |
| Sao Tome and Principe | Republic with separate heads of state and government | Directly elected |
| Senegal | Republic with separate heads of state and government | Directly elected |
| Slovakia | Republic with separate heads of state and government | Directly elected |
| Slovenia | Republic with separate heads of state and government | Directly elected |
| Taiwan | Republic with separate heads of state and government | Directly elected |
| Antigua and Barbuda | Constitutional monarchy | Hereditary monarch |
| Australia | Constitutional monarchy | Hereditary monarch |
| Bahamas | Constitutional monarchy | Hereditary monarch |
| Belgium | Constitutional monarchy | Hereditary monarch |
| Belize | Constitutional monarchy | Hereditary monarch |
| Bhutan | Constitutional monarchy | Hereditary monarch |
| Canada | Constitutional monarchy | Hereditary monarch |
| Denmark | Constitutional monarchy | Hereditary monarch |
| Grenada | Constitutional monarchy | Hereditary monarch |
| Jamaica | Constitutional monarchy | Hereditary monarch |
| Japan | Constitutional monarchy | Hereditary monarch |
| Lesotho | Constitutional monarchy | Hereditary monarch |
| Liechtenstein | Constitutional monarchy | Hereditary monarch |
| Luxembourg | Constitutional monarchy | Hereditary monarch |
| Monaco | Constitutional monarchy | Hereditary monarch |
| Netherlands | Constitutional monarchy | Hereditary monarch |
| New Zealand | Constitutional monarchy | Hereditary monarch |
| Norway | Constitutional monarchy | Hereditary monarch |
| Solomon Islands | Constitutional monarchy | Hereditary monarch |
| Spain | Constitutional monarchy | Hereditary monarch |
| St. Kitts and Nevis | Constitutional monarchy | Hereditary monarch |
| St. Lucia | Constitutional monarchy | Hereditary monarch |
| St. Vincent and the Grenadines | Constitutional monarchy | Hereditary monarch |
| Sweden | Constitutional monarchy | Hereditary monarch |
| Tonga | Constitutional monarchy | Hereditary monarch |
| Tuvalu | Constitutional monarchy | Hereditary monarch |
| United Kingdom | Constitutional monarchy | Hereditary monarch |
| Andorra | Constitutional monarchy | Other |
| Malaysia | Constitutional monarchy | Other |
* Switzerland’s Federal Council acts as a collective executive body. Each year the title of “president of the Confederation” rotates among the Council’s 7 members.
Note: Data is based on 106 countries classified as democracies and includes some fully self-governing territories whose sovereign status is disputed.
Source: Pew Research Center analysis.
