Political system
Short for VT by Abbreviationfinder, the Vatican State is ruled as an absolute monarchy, where the pope is head of state. The Pope is at the same time Bishop of Rome and the head of the Catholic Church’s international center, the Holy See (La Santa Sede), which has its seat in the Vatican City.
The Vatican is a designation for both the Vatican State and the Holy See. It is not the Vatican but the Holy See that have diplomatic representatives (nuns and pronouns) in the outside world, and it is the Holy See that other countries have envoys.
- Countryaah: Total population and chart of Vatican for years of 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024. Also covers population density, birth rate, death rate and population growth rates.
The Pope is elected for life by the Cardinal College, where the Cardinals who are under 80 years old participate. The Cardinals are in turn appointed by the Pope among the bishops of the Church. In 2016, there were 215 Cardinals.
The Pope has both legislative, executive and judicial powers. To his assistance, he has the Papal Commission for the Vatican City, which can also enact laws and manage the administration of the state. The commission consists of seven members whom the pope appoints for five years at a time. The President of the Commission acts as a Head of Government and is responsible for the State Secretariat, which forms the core of the Curia, the central administration of the Holy See.
The courier includes nine congregations (a kind of ministry) with different business areas. The most important area is the Congregation of Faith, which is responsible for the Catholic Church’s teachings on matters of faith and morals. The Saints Congregation monitors bliss and saints declarations. In addition to the congregations, there are twelve papal councils for a variety of contemporary issues, such as the Council of Christian Unity.
The Vatican has its own judicial system. In the first place, laws are instituted by the Pope, in the second place Italian law prevails. The courier includes three courts, including the Apostolic Confessional Court, which allows priests to forgive some serious sins. The judges are appointed by the Pope.