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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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]
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.
^"caretaker government". Credo Reference. Dictionary of politics and government.
Archived from the original on 1 June 2022. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
^
abShain(1) Linz(2), Yossi(1) Linz(2) (January 1992). "The Role of Interim Governments". Journal of Democracy. 3: 73–79.
doi:
10.1353/jod.1992.0012.
S2CID153562287.{{
cite journal}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (
link)
^Sayigh, Yezid (1999). Armed Struggle and the Search for State: The Palestinian National Movement, 1949–1993 (illustrated ed.).
Oxford University Press. p. 624.
ISBN9780198296430. "The Palestinian National Council also empowered
the central council to form a government-in-exile when appropriate, and the
executive committee to perform the functions of government until such time as a government-in-exile was established."
^Ghobari, Mohamed (7 April 2022).
"Yemen president sacks deputy, delegates presidential powers to council". Reuters.
Aden.
Archived from the original on 1 May 2022. Retrieved 7 April 2022. With this declaration a Presidential Leadership Council shall be established to complete the implementation of the tasks of the transitional period. I irreversibly delegate to the Presidential Leadership Council my full powers in accordance with the constitution and the Gulf Initiative and its executive mechanism.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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]
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.
^"caretaker government". Credo Reference. Dictionary of politics and government.
Archived from the original on 1 June 2022. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
^
abShain(1) Linz(2), Yossi(1) Linz(2) (January 1992). "The Role of Interim Governments". Journal of Democracy. 3: 73–79.
doi:
10.1353/jod.1992.0012.
S2CID153562287.{{
cite journal}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (
link)
^Sayigh, Yezid (1999). Armed Struggle and the Search for State: The Palestinian National Movement, 1949–1993 (illustrated ed.).
Oxford University Press. p. 624.
ISBN9780198296430. "The Palestinian National Council also empowered
the central council to form a government-in-exile when appropriate, and the
executive committee to perform the functions of government until such time as a government-in-exile was established."
^Ghobari, Mohamed (7 April 2022).
"Yemen president sacks deputy, delegates presidential powers to council". Reuters.
Aden.
Archived from the original on 1 May 2022. Retrieved 7 April 2022. With this declaration a Presidential Leadership Council shall be established to complete the implementation of the tasks of the transitional period. I irreversibly delegate to the Presidential Leadership Council my full powers in accordance with the constitution and the Gulf Initiative and its executive mechanism.