Italy is formally unitary but highly decentralised to its regions.
KindRange9697 on
Just because Russia calls itself a federal state, doesn’t mean its true
nim_opet on
Stop with this ridiculous “it’s complicated” label.
Truelz on
If the UK is in the “It’s comlicated” category then I would argue that Denmark should be so as well, as it’s a pretty similar situation with Greenland and the Faroes Islands being autonomous territories of the Kingdom of Denmark
azhder on
Too simplistic.
Spain is deliberately ambiguous in its constitution. Switzerland I think might be a confederacy, don’t know the details. Bosnia-Herzegovina is none of the above due to still having a UN representative holding certain powers i.e. not even fully sovereign state in its own right…
RoiDrannoc on
Metropolitan France is a unitary state. But New Caledonia and French Polynesia are integral parts of France and suddenly France is a Federal state with 3 quite autonomous subdivisions…
Bilaakili on
Had to think for a while what makes Finland so complicated. I guess it’s Åland.
vaivai22 on
On a technical level, there are four categories Unitary (most states), Devolved (UK), Federal (Germany, the US, Australia etc) and Confederation (Currently none). You could change the “it’s complicated category to fit one of them.
caiaphas8 on
The U.K. is not complicated, it’s just a unitary state, with 3 semi-autonomous region
Chogolatine on
I’d very much say that Belgian case is complicated
xBris18 on
Denmark and the Netherlands are basically in the same situation, why the two different colours then? Both are constituent kingdoms, like the UK.
fortyfivepointseven on
The UK is four countries in a trenchcoat, and if we’re honest, some of those are multiple countries in a trenchcoat.
D_Zendra on
Unitary Ukraine is more decentralized than “federal” russia lol.
pandajoanna on
Russia is only federal in its name
1ncogn1too on
russia is not really a federation.
Pepe_the_fourth on
If you add Crimea to the Ukraine, Ukraine becomes federal state, because pre-2014 it had been an autonomous republic, if I remember correctly.
kalsoy on
The Netherlands is just a unitary state. At least as long as you only show Europe in this map, because the European part of the Netherlands is a unitary state.
Those three autonomous Caribbean islands are exceptions to the rule.
Lyceus_ on
Spain is definitely yellow. Formally it’s a unitary state, but it is one of the most decentralized countries in Europe.
alfanzina on
While Portugal is not a federation it is as complicated as Spain or the UK. Autonomous regions have their own presidents and governments.
domini_canes11 on
Not sure how the UK is “complicated”
It’s Unitary, Parliament is sovereign, all power is devolved from Westminster and Westminster can take that power back at any moment.
PegasusTargaryen on
Seems like the Germans invented the federal state somehow
Yesodisnotop on
back in my day Belgium was unitary.
Irrealaerri on
What are the situations in the yellow countries? I can imagine the UK and Spain and all their autonomous regions play a role?
MRNBDX on
Federal states are better suited for very big or culturally diverse countries, while unitary states are more suited for smaller or culturally less diverse countries
Fantastic_Back3191 on
I wish he had a federal setup in UK, its too complcated right now with devolution.
Kraj_the_Conqueror on
Much of this map is bogus, because it doesn’t tell the difference between the de jure and the de facto situation.
Theoretically, Russia is one of the most federalized states in existence. It has many federal subjects, some even called “republics”, all theoretically enjoying broad autonomy. And in fact it was such in the 1990s when region snatched much power from the disintegrating central authority. Today’s Russia us an incredibly centralized state, where local governments were defanged. Everything of importance is decided in Moscow. That there are no longer any free elections in the subjects goes without saying, every governor on head is in fact a Putin’s appointee with a show election to rubberstamp this. If there’s one reason why Putin even kept the theoretically “federal” structure it’s because local governors are convenient scapegoats for the central government not delivering its promises. For instance, when the families of the dead soldiers aren’t paid, it’s the governor who take the blame. Not that he received any money for that purpose from Moscow.
AppointmentFar6096 on
There’s nothing complicated about Moldova. They have 2 separate autonomous regions(Gagauzia and Transnistria) that are/were artificially kept alive by Russia to destabilize the zone.
If not for Russia, Moldova would have probably united with Romania a loooong time ago since they speak the same language, have the same customs, were historically the same region(mostly).
Ok-Suggestion3692 on
Belgium has 7 different governments. I would define it as complicated.
benjamin_t__ on
I like the “complicated” status, because not everything falls in a federal/unitary category, but arguably a lot of countries have complicated arrangements:
– Italian regions can pass laws and have their competencies protected by the Constitution
– in France New Caledonia can also pass laws and has a constitutionally protected status…
– Denmark should also be complicated if we think about Greenland and Faroe Islands: their arrangement is a bit similar to the Netherlands actually
even if all are officially unitary states.
On the contrary, Russia is officially a federation, but in practice federated entities are not autonomous from the central power.
RingReasonable on
I don’t even know the difference, lol
NotTheGreekPi on
Italy is yellow
Ok_Release1625 on
Italy also complicated since Sudtirol/Altoadige its an autonomous region
pajser92 on
I’m not sure why Serbia is “complicated”, either because of the Kosovo situation, or the fact that we have two autonomous provinces.
mihaajlovic on
Of course we in Serbia are complicated lol
BissmarkMC on
Putting the Kosovo issue as not complicated is insane.
BillyBobBobbie on
Why is Serbia not considered a unitary state under its current consitution? What’s complicated about it?
jmillar2020 on
Spain is a “de facto” federal country in all but name. The word “federal” was not used in the Constitution because the conservatives dislike it.
It has “communities” that have “autonomy” with a considerable level of self government. It is one of the most decentralized countries in Europe.
41 Comments
Why is the situation “complicated” in Greece?
Curious if usa would be blue or yellow
What is the complicating aspect of Netherlands?
I would argue that calling Russia federal post-2013 is not true
https://www.reuters.com/article/world/putin-signs-law-to-allow-him-to-pick-russian-governors-idUSBRE9310GR/
Italy is formally unitary but highly decentralised to its regions.
Just because Russia calls itself a federal state, doesn’t mean its true
Stop with this ridiculous “it’s complicated” label.
If the UK is in the “It’s comlicated” category then I would argue that Denmark should be so as well, as it’s a pretty similar situation with Greenland and the Faroes Islands being autonomous territories of the Kingdom of Denmark
Too simplistic.
Spain is deliberately ambiguous in its constitution. Switzerland I think might be a confederacy, don’t know the details. Bosnia-Herzegovina is none of the above due to still having a UN representative holding certain powers i.e. not even fully sovereign state in its own right…
Metropolitan France is a unitary state. But New Caledonia and French Polynesia are integral parts of France and suddenly France is a Federal state with 3 quite autonomous subdivisions…
Had to think for a while what makes Finland so complicated. I guess it’s Åland.
On a technical level, there are four categories Unitary (most states), Devolved (UK), Federal (Germany, the US, Australia etc) and Confederation (Currently none). You could change the “it’s complicated category to fit one of them.
The U.K. is not complicated, it’s just a unitary state, with 3 semi-autonomous region
I’d very much say that Belgian case is complicated
Denmark and the Netherlands are basically in the same situation, why the two different colours then? Both are constituent kingdoms, like the UK.
The UK is four countries in a trenchcoat, and if we’re honest, some of those are multiple countries in a trenchcoat.
Unitary Ukraine is more decentralized than “federal” russia lol.
Russia is only federal in its name
russia is not really a federation.
If you add Crimea to the Ukraine, Ukraine becomes federal state, because pre-2014 it had been an autonomous republic, if I remember correctly.
The Netherlands is just a unitary state. At least as long as you only show Europe in this map, because the European part of the Netherlands is a unitary state.
Those three autonomous Caribbean islands are exceptions to the rule.
Spain is definitely yellow. Formally it’s a unitary state, but it is one of the most decentralized countries in Europe.
While Portugal is not a federation it is as complicated as Spain or the UK. Autonomous regions have their own presidents and governments.
Not sure how the UK is “complicated”
It’s Unitary, Parliament is sovereign, all power is devolved from Westminster and Westminster can take that power back at any moment.
Seems like the Germans invented the federal state somehow
back in my day Belgium was unitary.
What are the situations in the yellow countries? I can imagine the UK and Spain and all their autonomous regions play a role?
Federal states are better suited for very big or culturally diverse countries, while unitary states are more suited for smaller or culturally less diverse countries
I wish he had a federal setup in UK, its too complcated right now with devolution.
Much of this map is bogus, because it doesn’t tell the difference between the de jure and the de facto situation.
Theoretically, Russia is one of the most federalized states in existence. It has many federal subjects, some even called “republics”, all theoretically enjoying broad autonomy. And in fact it was such in the 1990s when region snatched much power from the disintegrating central authority. Today’s Russia us an incredibly centralized state, where local governments were defanged. Everything of importance is decided in Moscow. That there are no longer any free elections in the subjects goes without saying, every governor on head is in fact a Putin’s appointee with a show election to rubberstamp this. If there’s one reason why Putin even kept the theoretically “federal” structure it’s because local governors are convenient scapegoats for the central government not delivering its promises. For instance, when the families of the dead soldiers aren’t paid, it’s the governor who take the blame. Not that he received any money for that purpose from Moscow.
There’s nothing complicated about Moldova. They have 2 separate autonomous regions(Gagauzia and Transnistria) that are/were artificially kept alive by Russia to destabilize the zone.
If not for Russia, Moldova would have probably united with Romania a loooong time ago since they speak the same language, have the same customs, were historically the same region(mostly).
Belgium has 7 different governments. I would define it as complicated.
I like the “complicated” status, because not everything falls in a federal/unitary category, but arguably a lot of countries have complicated arrangements:
– Italian regions can pass laws and have their competencies protected by the Constitution
– in France New Caledonia can also pass laws and has a constitutionally protected status…
– Denmark should also be complicated if we think about Greenland and Faroe Islands: their arrangement is a bit similar to the Netherlands actually
even if all are officially unitary states.
On the contrary, Russia is officially a federation, but in practice federated entities are not autonomous from the central power.
I don’t even know the difference, lol
Italy is yellow
Italy also complicated since Sudtirol/Altoadige its an autonomous region
I’m not sure why Serbia is “complicated”, either because of the Kosovo situation, or the fact that we have two autonomous provinces.
Of course we in Serbia are complicated lol
Putting the Kosovo issue as not complicated is insane.
Why is Serbia not considered a unitary state under its current consitution? What’s complicated about it?
Spain is a “de facto” federal country in all but name. The word “federal” was not used in the Constitution because the conservatives dislike it.
It has “communities” that have “autonomy” with a considerable level of self government. It is one of the most decentralized countries in Europe.