Co-princes of Andorra facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Co-Princes of Andorra |
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| Coprínceps d'Andorra (Catalan) | |
Coat of arms of High Authorities of Andorra
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| Incumbent | |
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| Josep-Lluís Serrano Pentinat since 31 May 2025 |
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| Co-incumbent | |
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| Emmanuel Macron since 14 May 2017 |
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| Details | |
| Style | His Excellency |
| First monarch | Pere d'Urtx Roger-Bernard III |
| Formation | 1278 |
| Residence | La Seu d'Urgell Cathedral (Spain) Élysée Palace (France) |
| Appointer | The Pope (for the Episcopal Co-Prince) French citizens (five years, renewable once consecutively) (for the French Co-Prince) |
The co-princes of Andorra are the two people who share the role of head of state for the Principality of Andorra. Andorra is a small, landlocked country nestled in the Pyrenees mountains, right between France and Spain.
This special arrangement, where two people share the top leadership role, is called a diarchy. It began way back in 1278 with a treaty between the bishop of Urgell (a religious leader in Spain) and the Count of Foix (a noble from France). This unique system has continued from the Middle Ages right up to today!
Currently, the two co-princes are the Bishop of Urgell, Josep-Lluís Serrano Pentinat, and the president of France, Emmanuel Macron. The French president holds this role because the Count of Foix's claims were eventually passed down to the Crown of France and then to the head of the French Republic. Each co-prince also has a personal representative in Andorra to help them with their duties.
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How Andorra's Unique Leadership Began
Tradition says that Charlemagne, a famous emperor, gave the people of Andorra a special charter (a document granting rights) because they helped him fight against the Moors. At first, the land was overseen by the count of Urgell. But in 988, the count, named Borrell II, gave Andorra to the Diocese of Urgell (the area governed by the Bishop of Urgell) in exchange for some land in Cerdanya. Since then, the Bishop of Urgell, whose base is in Seu d'Urgell, has been a ruler of Andorra.
Seeking Protection and Sharing Power
Before 1095, Andorra didn't have any military protection. The Bishop of Urgell worried that the Count of Urgell might try to take back the Andorran valleys. So, he asked for help from the lord of Caboet. In 1095, the lord and the bishop signed a declaration, agreeing to share control over Andorra.
Later, through marriages, the rights of the lord of Caboet passed to the viscounts of Castellbò and Cerdanya, and then to the French count of Foix, Roger Bernat II. This meant that the Count and Countess of Foix also became co-rulers of Andorra, alongside the Bishop of Urgell.
The Treaty of 1278: Sharing Sovereignty
In the 11th century, a disagreement grew between the Bishop of Urgell and the Count of Foix over who truly had power in Andorra. The conflict was settled by Aragon in 1278. This led to the signing of the first paréage. A paréage is a type of treaty that shares sovereignty (the right to rule) between two rulers.
This treaty officially shared Andorra's leadership between the Count and the Bishop. It gave the principality (a territory ruled by a prince or princes) its current borders and political structure. This moment marked the official start of Andorra's very special shared leadership system.
From Counts to Kings: The French Connection
Over time, the title of Count of Foix, and with it the claim to Andorra, was inherited by the kings of Navarre. When Henry III of Navarre became Henry IV of France, he issued an official order in 1607. This order formally made the king of France and the Bishop of Urgell the co-princes of Andorra.
During 1812–13, the First French Empire under Napoleon briefly took over Catalonia (a region in Spain), and Andorra became part of a French department. However, after Napoleon's defeat, a royal decree reversed this, and Andorra went back to being independent with its unique political system. Since then, the French head of state—whether a king, emperor, or president—has continued to serve as a co-prince of Andorra.
Andorra's Recent History and Modern Constitution
An Adventurer's Claim: Boris I
On 12 July 1934, Andorra's shared leadership system faced a strange challenge from an adventurer named Boris Skossyreff. He declared himself "Boris I, King of Andorra" in Urgell. While some people in Andorra's government initially supported him, he was arrested by Spanish authorities just eight days later, on 20 July 1934, after he declared war on the Bishop of Urgell (who refused to give up his claim to Andorra). Skossyreff was expelled and was never legally considered a ruler of Andorra.
The 1993 Constitution: Defining Roles
Before 1993, Andorra didn't have a written constitution, so the exact powers of the co-princes weren't clearly spelled out. In March 1993, the people of Andorra voted to approve a Constitution. It was then signed into law by the two co-princes at the time: Bishop Joan Martí Alanis and President François Mitterrand.
This Constitution confirmed that Andorra would continue to have its unique shared leadership. It also clearly defined the exact roles and powers of the two co-princes. Before this Constitution, Andorra used to pay a traditional "tribute" (a payment) to its rulers. In odd-numbered years, it paid about $460 to the French ruler, and in even-numbered years, it paid about $12 to the Spanish bishop, plus six hams, six cheeses, and six live chickens! This old custom was stopped in 1993.
Modern Challenges and Decisions
In 2009, French president Nicolas Sarkozy warned that he might step down as French co-prince if Andorra didn't change its banking laws. At the time, Andorra was known as a "tax haven" (a place where people or companies pay very low taxes), and Sarkozy wanted them to be more transparent.
The Co-Princes' Role Today
The Constitution of Andorra carefully explains the exact role and powers of the co-princes of Andorra today. The Constitution states that Andorra is a "parliamentary coprincipality," meaning the Bishop of Urgell and the president of France serve together as joint heads of state, working with a parliament.
The Constitution separates their powers into two types:
- Powers they can use on their own (Article 46).
- Powers that need the approval of the head of the Andorran government or the "Síndic General" (the Andorran legislature) (Article 45).
Powers Exercised Independently
The co-princes can do these things on their own:
- Pardon people: They can jointly use the "prerogative of grace," which means they have the power to pardon (forgive) people.
- Appoint court members: Each co-prince can appoint one member to the Superior Council of Justice and one member to the Constitutional Tribunal (important courts).
- Set up services: They can create services they need to fulfill their duties and appoint people to run them.
- Check laws: They can ask for an early opinion on whether proposed laws or international treaties follow the Constitution.
- Approve treaties: They must agree to the text of any international treaty before it is sent to the parliament for approval.
- Resolve disputes: They can bring a case to the Constitutional Tribunal if there's a disagreement about how they use their constitutional powers.
Powers Exercised with Government Approval
The co-princes need the head of government's approval for these actions:
- Call elections or referendums: They can call for elections or public votes (referendums) as allowed by the Constitution.
- Appoint the head of government: They appoint the head of government according to the Constitution.
- Dissolve parliament: They can dissolve the General Council (Andorra's parliament) before its term ends, but not within a year of the previous election.
- Handle diplomacy: They officially recognize Andorra's diplomatic representatives to other countries and receive representatives from other countries in Andorra.
- Appoint officials: They appoint people to various official positions as outlined in the Constitution.
- Approve and enact laws: They formally approve and put laws into effect after they are passed by the General Council.
- Consent to treaties: They give formal consent to international treaties once the General Council has approved them.
Each co-prince receives an annual allowance (money) from the General Council to use as they wish. They each appoint a personal representative in Andorra. If one co-prince is unable to perform their duties, the Constitution allows the other co-prince to govern in their absence, with the agreement of the Andorran head of government or the General Council.
Certain treaties require the co-princes (or their representatives) to be involved in their negotiation and give final approval. These are detailed in Articles 66 and 67 of the Constitution.
The co-princes also have the right to suggest changes to the Constitution, a right they share with the General Council. While they don't have a veto (the power to block) over laws passed by the General Council, they do have a veto over certain international treaties, as mentioned above.
What Happens if a Co-Prince's Position is Empty?
If the position of either co-prince becomes empty, Andorra's Constitution states that the country "recognizes the validity of the interim procedures foreseen by their respective statuses." This means that the normal way things are handled in the Bishop's or French President's own system will apply, so that the work of Andorra's government can continue without interruption.
List of rulers
See also
In Spanish: Copríncipes de Andorra para niños
