Emergency governmental authority created to manage a country during a political transition
A provisional government , also called an interim government , an emergency government , a transitional government or provisional leadership ,
[1] is a temporary government formed to manage a period of transition, often following
state collapse . Provisional governments are generally appointed, and frequently arise, either during or after
civil or foreign wars, or during difficult times such as during invasion, economic crisis, or widespread infiltration of
saboteurs and
counter-revolutionaries such as during the
French Revolution .
Provisional governments maintain
power until a new government can be appointed by a regular political process, which is generally an
election .
[2] They may be involved with defining the
legal structure of subsequent regimes, guidelines related to
human rights and
political freedoms , the structure of the
economy ,
government institutions , and international alignment.
[3] Provisional governments differ from
caretaker governments , which are responsible for governing within an established
parliamentary system and serve as placeholders following a
motion of no confidence , or following the
dissolution of the ruling coalition.
[3]
In opinion of Yossi Shain and Juan J. Linz, provisional governments can be classified to four groups:
[4]
Revolutionary provisional governments (when the former regime is overthrown and the power belongs to the people who have overthrown it).
Power sharing provisional governments (when the power is shared between former regime and the ones who are trying to change it).
Incumbent provisional governments (when the power during transitional period belongs to the former regime).
International provisional governments (when the power during the transitional period belongs to the international community).
The establishment of provisional governments is frequently tied to the implementation of
transitional justice .
[5] Decisions related to transitional justice can determined by prominent and who is allowed to participate in a provisional government.[
citation needed ]
The early provisional governments were created to prepare for the return of royal rule. Irregularly convened assemblies during the
English Revolution , such as
Confederate Ireland (1641–49), were described as "provisional". The
Continental Congress , a convention of delegates from
13 British colonies on the east coast of North America became the provisional government of the
United States in 1776, during the
American Revolutionary War . The government shed its provisional status in 1781, following ratification of the
Articles of Confederation , and continued in existence as the
Congress of the Confederation until it was supplanted by the
United States Congress in 1789.
The practice of using "provisional government" as part of a formal name can be traced to
Talleyrand 's government in France in 1814. In 1843,
American pioneers in the
Oregon Country , in the
Pacific Northwest region of North America established the
Provisional Government of Oregon —as the U.S. federal government had not yet extended its jurisdiction over the region—which existed until March 1849. The numerous provisional governments during the
Revolutions of 1848 gave the word its modern meaning: A liberal government established to prepare for elections.
List of provisional governments
Numerous provisional governments have been established since the 1850s.
Africa
As of 2023 in Africa,
South Sudan ,
Libya ,
Sudan ,
Burkina Faso ,
Chad ,
Guinea ,
Mali ,
Niger and
Gabon currently have provisional governments.
Provisional Government of the Algerian Republic (1958–62) (guerrilla movement)
Zimbabwe Rhodesia (1979–1980), a short-lived yet internationally unrecognized sovereign state formed in the waning years of the
Rhodesian Bush War , in contrast with the reestablished
Southern Rhodesia . Ultimately dissolved in favor of granting independence to Southern Rhodesia as
Zimbabwe .
Transitional Government of National Unity (Namibia) (1985–1989), interim government during the end of the
South African Border War
Transitional Government of Ethiopia (1991–1995), established after the end of the
Ethiopian Civil War
Provisional Government of Eritrea (1993), established after independence from Ethiopia
Transitional Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (2003–2006), established in 2003 following the conclusion of the
Second Congo War
National Transitional Legislative Assembly of Liberia (2003–2006),
Liberia 's legislative body during the country's transition from civil war to democratic rule
National Transitional Council of Libya (2011–2012), formed during the
2011 civil war in
Libya against the
Gaddafi -led government
Interim government of
Egypt (2013–2014), established following the
June 2013 Egyptian protests and subsequent
coup
The UN-supported
Government of National Unity In
Libya (2021–present), formed following the
Libyan Political Dialogue Forum in Sirte
Sovereignty Council of Sudan (2019–2021, 2021–present), established in August 2019 after
8 month-long protests against President
Bashir and a subsequent
military coup
National Transitional Council in
Chad (2022–present), formed in 2022 to replace the
Transitional Military Council .
Patriotic Movement for Safeguard and Restoration in
Burkina Faso (2022–present),formed on the 24 of January 2022 the group took over after a
coup in January. The leader
Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba suffered a
coup himself. After that, Ibrahim Traroé took power as the leader of the group and interim president of Burkina Faso.
Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions (August 2023 – present).
National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CNSP) (July 2023 – present).
Americas
Continental Congress (1776–1781), interim ruling body of the
United States after
declaring independence from the
British Empire . Following the ratification of the
Articles of Confederation , the Continental Congress was absorbed into the
Congress of the Confederation , which subsequently became the
United States Congress upon ratification of the
Constitution .
Provisional Government of Mexico (1823–1824), interim ruling body of
Mexico following the dissolution of the
First Mexican Empire . Succeeded by the
First Mexican Republic following the ratification of the
1824 Constitution .
Texian Consultation (1835–1836), interim ruling body of
Mexican Texas during the
Texas Revolution . Ultimately collapsed due to political tensions following the
Matamoros Expedition .
U.S. provisional government of New Mexico (1846–1850), interim ruling body of
New Mexico following the region's occupation by the
United States during the
Mexican–American War . Succeeded by the
New Mexico Territory in 1850 before being
admitted to the Union as the 47th state in 1912.
National Council of Government (1986–1988), interim ruling body of
Haiti , after the departure of
Jean-Claude Duvalier .
Venezuelan transitional government (2019–2022), established in January 2019 by the
National Assembly led by
Juan Guaidó , currently in dispute with the
incumbent government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela led by
Nicolás Maduro . The transitional government is supported and recognized by United States, European Union,
Lima Group , and many other Western countries.
Asia
World War I and Interbellum
World War II
Provisional Government of the Republic of China (1937–40) , established by the
Empire of Japan when invading Eastern China.
Provisional Government of Free India (1943–1945), commonly known as Azad Hind , established by Indian nationalists in southeast Asia, had nominal sovereignty over Axis controlled Indian territories, and had diplomatic relationships with eleven countries including Germany, Italy, Japan, Philippines, and the Soviet Union. It was headed by
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose , who was the Head of the State and Prime Minister, who was also the Supreme Commander of the
Indian National Army . The government had its own cabinet and banks. It was also the first government to recruit women for combat roles.
Cold War and aftermath
People's Republic of Korea (1945–1946), a provisional government established following the
surrender of Japan at the conclusion of
World War II , which resulted in the restoration of Korean independence. Following the
division of Korea , the PRK was outlawed by the United States in favor of the
American military government , while the
Soviet Union incorporated it into the
Provisional People's Committee of North Korea .
United States Army Military Government in Korea (1945–1948), an interim government formed by the
United States concurrently with the
People's Republic of Korea following the peninsula's independence from Japan. Later incorporated into
South Korea following the
division of Korea and the American ban on the People's Republic.
Provisional People's Committee of North Korea (1946–1947), an interim government formed by the
Soviet Civil Administration following the
division of Korea and the absorption of the
People's Republic of Korea . Succeeded by the
People's Committee of North Korea .
Interim Government of India (1946–1947), an interim government formed by the newly created
Constituent Assembly of India to administer what would become the
Dominion of India and the
Dominion of Pakistan in the transitional period between
British rule and independence.
People's Committee of North Korea (1947–1948), the successor government to the
Provisional People's Committee of North Korea during the latter period of Soviet occupation. Ultimately incorporated into
North Korea .
Emergency Government of the Republic of Indonesia (1948–1949), an emergency government established by
Sjafruddin Prawiranegara in
Sumatra following the
capture of
Yogyakarta , the then-Indonesian capital, by the
Netherlands .
Provisional government of Israel (1948–1949), established after Israel's
declaration of independence and in place until after the
first Knesset elections .
Provisional Central Government of Vietnam (1948–1949), established as a puppet government by French during the
First Indochina War .
Provisional Government of the Syrian Arab Republic (1949), established by national consensus to draft a new constitution and reintroduce civilian rule after a series of military governments.
Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam (1969–1976), established during the
Vietnam War against the United States and Republic of Vietnam
Provisional Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh (1970–1972), established after the declaration of freedom of Bengalis exiled to
Calcutta .
Provisional Government of East Timor (1975–1976), established as a
puppet state following the success of the
Indonesian invasion of East Timor . Ultimately dissolved following the country's annexation as
a province of Indonesia .
Interim Government of Iran , a provisional government established after the 1979
Iranian Revolution
Democratic Republic of Iran , formed in 1981 by the
People's Mujahedin of Iran based in
Paris and later Albania. It serves as the main Iranian government-in-exile opposing the clerical government.
Provisional Government of the Philippines (1986–1987), established after the
People Power Revolution until the new constitution ratified
Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (1988–), after it was entrusted with the powers and responsibilities of the Provisional Government of the
State of Palestine .
[6]
[7]
United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (1992–1993)
Palestinian National Authority (1994–2013), the
administrative organization, established to
govern parts of the
West Bank and
Gaza Strip , following the Oslo Accords.
[8]
21st century
As of 2023
[update] in Asia,
Afghanistan ,
Myanmar ,
Syria , and
Yemen currently have provisional governments. The Syrian provisional governments are opposition groups in rebellion against their internationally recognized government. Afghanistan's provisional government is unrecognized, but is
de facto the country's sole governing body. Myanmar and Yemen have both ruling and opposition provisional governments.
Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq (2003–2004) with the
Iraqi Interim Governing Council , established to act as a caretaker administration in Iraq following the
2003 invasion of Iraq pending the hand over of power to the Iraqi people and the creation of a democratically elected civilian government.
Iraqi Interim Government (2004–2005) and the
Iraqi Transitional Government (2005–2006) were both provisional authorities established after the hand over of power to the Iraqi people following the
2003 invasion of Iraq to govern pending the adoption of a permanent constitution.
Syrian Interim Government (2013–present), established by the
Syrian National Coalition during the
Syrian Civil War
Supreme Political Council of Yemen (2015–present), established by the
Houthi Movement after the
2014–15 Yemeni coup d'état , currently participating in the
Yemeni Civil War (2014–present) against the governments of
Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi and the
Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council of South Yemen (2016–present), established by the
Southern Movement - a separatist group in southern Yemen - during the
Yemeni Civil War (2014–present)
Syrian Salvation Government (2017–present), established by
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham in the
Idlib Governorate
[9]
Interim government of Kyrgyzstan (2020–2021), established in 2020 in the aftermath of the
2020 Kyrgyzstani protests
National Unity Government of Myanmar (2021–present), established in exile by the
Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw in opposition to the
2021 Myanmar coup d'état
[10]
Provisional Government of Myanmar (2021–present), established by the
State Administration Council as a formalization of its rule six months after the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état
[11]
Caretaker Cabinet of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (2021–present), established by the
Taliban following the
2021 fall of Kabul
[12]
[13]
Presidential Leadership Council (2022–present), established by internationally recognized outgoing president Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi to seek a "comprehensive political solution" to the Yemeni Civil War
[14]
[15]
Europe
World War I and Interbellum
Provisional Government of Albania (1912–14), established after the
First Balkan War
Provisional Government of Western Thrace (1913), established in modern Greece in opposition to annexation by
Bulgaria during the
Second Balkan War .
Provisional Government of Northern Epirus (1914), established against annexation to
Albania .
Provisional Government of the Irish Republic (1916), a title adopted by the leadership of the short-lived
Easter Rising .
Provisional Government of National Defence (northern Greece), 1916
Russian Provisional Government (1917), established as a result of the
February Revolution which led to the abdication of
Tsar
Nicholas II .
State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs , established in 1918 as the
unrecognized first incarnation of
Yugoslavia and later merged with the
Kingdoms of Serbia and
Montenegro to form the
Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes .
Estonian Provisional Government (1918–1919).
Council of the People's Deputies (1918–1919), formed by the
German Empire 's main socialist parties during the
German Revolution before adopting a
big tent policy and facilitating the transition to a republican government. Succeeded by the
Scheidemann cabinet , the first government of the
Weimar Republic , following the
1919 German federal election .
Latvian Provisional Government (1918–1920).
Provisional People's Government of the Republic of Poland (1918), established following
Austria-Hungary 's Parliamentary motion in favor of restoring Polish independence. Dissolved following the ascension of
Józef Piłsudski as head of state and the establishment of the
Second Polish Republic .
Ukrainian Provisional Government (1918).
Provisional Regional Government of the Urals (1918), a short-lived anti-Bolshevik state within the territory of the
Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic . Voluntarily dissolved after two months, ceding power to the
Provisional All-Russian Government .
Provisional Government of the Northern Region (1918–1920).
Provisional Government of Ireland (1922) , established by the
Anglo-Irish Treaty between the British government and Irish revolutionaries, in order to pave the way for the establishment of the
Irish Free State in the same year.
World War II
Provisional governments were also established throughout Europe as
occupied nations were liberated from
Nazi occupation by the
Allies .
Cold War
Collapse of the USSR and aftermath
21st century
As of 2021 in Europe,
Belarus is the only country currently with a provisional government, established by the opposition in parallel with the
government of the Republic of Belarus .
Oceania
See also
References
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