Government in exile


A government in exile is a political group which claims to be a country or semi-sovereign state's legitimate government, but is unable to exercise legal power and instead resides in another state or foreign country. Governments in exile usually plan to one day return to their native country and regain formal power. A government in exile differs from a rump state in the sense that a rump state controls at least part of its former territory. For example, during World War I, nearly all of Belgium was occupied by Germany, but Belgium and its allies held on to a small slice in the country's west. A government in exile, in contrast, has lost all its territory.
Exiled governments tend to occur during wartime occupation, or in the aftermath of a civil war, revolution, or military coup. For example, during German expansion in World War II, some European governments sought refuge in the United Kingdom, rather than face destruction at the hands of Nazi Germany. On the other hand, the Provisional Government of Free India sought to use support from the invading Japanese to gain control of the country from what it viewed as British occupiers. A government in exile may also form from widespread belief in the illegitimacy of a ruling government. Due to the outbreak of the Syrian Civil War in 2011, for instance, the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces was formed by groups whose members sought to end the rule of the ruling Ba'ath Party.
The effectiveness of a government in exile depends primarily on the amount of support it receives, either from foreign governments or from the population of its own country. Some exiled governments come to develop into a formidable force, posing a serious challenge to the incumbent regime of the country, while others are maintained chiefly as a symbolic gesture.
The phenomenon of a government in exile predates the formal utilization of the term. In periods of monarchical government, exiled monarchs or dynasties sometimes set up exile courts—as the House of Stuart did when driven from their throne by Oliver Cromwell and again at the Glorious Revolution. The House of Bourbon would be another example because it continued to be recognized by other countries at the time as the legitimate government of France after it was overthrown by the populace during the French Revolution. This continued to last through the rule of Napoleon Bonaparte and the Napoleonic Wars from 1803–04 to 1815. With the spread of constitutional monarchy, monarchical governments which were exiled started to include a prime minister, such as the Dutch government during World War II headed by Pieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy.

Activities

recognizes that governments in exile may undertake many types of actions in the conduct of their daily affairs. These actions include:
In cases where a host country holds a large expatriate population from a government in exile's home country, or an ethnic population from that country, the government in exile might come to exercise some administrative functions within such a population. For example, the WWII Provisional Government of Free India had such authority among the ethnically Indian population of British Malaya, with the consent of the then Japanese military authorities.

Current governments in exile

Governments in exile may have little or no recognition from other states. Some exiled governments have some characteristics in common with rump states. Such disputed or partially in exile cases are noted in the tables below.

Deposed governments of current states

These governments in exile were created by deposed governments or rulers who continue to claim legitimate authority of the state they once controlled.
NameExile sinceState controlling its claimed territory NotesReferences
Rada of the Belarusian Democratic Republic1920
The oldest current government in exile, currently led by Ivonka Survilla in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Sublime State of Persia1925The Qajar dynasty went into exile in 1923 and continue to claim the Iranian throne, which is currently claimed by Mohammad Hassan Mirza II who is based in Dallas, United States
Imperial State of Iran1979The Pahlavi dynasty, led by Reza Pahlavi and living in Potomac, Maryland, United States
Royal Lao Government in Exile1975
The former government of the Kingdom of Laos; based in Gresham, Oregon, United States
Quetta Shura2001
Based in Quetta, Pakistan as a continuation of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. After the Taliban were removed from power in the 2001 Afghan war, the veteran high-ranking leaders of the former government including Mullah Mohammed Omar, founder and spiritual leader of the Taliban, fled to Quetta, Balochistan Province, Pakistan where they set up Quetta Shura in exile to organize and direct the insurgency and retake Afghanistan.
Government of the Republic of Yemen2015
Leadership based in Riyadh.

Deposed governments of former states

These governments in exile were created by deposed governments or rulers who continue to claim legitimate authority of the state they once controlled but whose state no longer exists.

Current government regarded by some as a "government-in-exile"

Government of the Republic of China: The currently Taipei-based Republic of China government does not regard itself as a government-in-exile, but is claimed to be such by some participants in the debate on the political status of Taiwan. In addition to the island of Taiwan and some other islands it currently controls, the Republic of China formally maintains claims over territory now controlled by the People's Republic of China as well as some parts of Afghanistan, Bhutan, India, Japan, Myanmar, Pakistan, Russia, and Tajikistan. The usual formal reasoning on which this "government-in-exile" claim is based relies on an argument that the sovereignty of Taiwan was not legitimately handed to the Republic of China at the end of World War II, and on that basis the Republic of China is located in foreign territory, therefore effectively making it a government in exile. By contrast, this theory is not accepted by those who view the sovereignty of Taiwan as having been legitimately returned to the Republic of China at the end of the war. Both the People's Republic of China government and the Kuomintang in Republic of China hold the latter view.
However, there are also some who do not accept that the sovereignty of Taiwan was legitimately returned to the Republic of China at the end of the war nor that the Republic of China is a government-in-exile, and China's territory does not include Taiwan. The current Democratic Progressive Party in Taiwan is inclined to this view, and supports Taiwanese independence.

Deposed governments of subnational territories

Current

These governments in exile claim legitimacy of autonomous territories of another state and have been created by deposed governments or rulers, who do not claim independence as a separate state.

Past

Alternative governments of current states

These governments have been created in exile by political organisations and opposition parties, aspire to become actual governing authorities or claim to be legal successors to previously deposed governments, and have been created as alternatives to incumbent governments.
NameClaimed exileExile proclamationGovernment presently controlling claimed territoryNotesReferences-
Committee for the Five Northern Korean Provinces—1949 North KoreaBased in Seoul, the South Korean government's provisional administration for the five pre-1945 provinces which became North Korea at the end of World War II and the division of Korea. The five provinces are North Hamgyeong, South Hamgyeong, Hwanghae, North Pyeongan, South Pyeongan-
Delegation of Taiwan Province, National People's Congress/CPPCC of PRC
Taiwan Affairs Office		—1949As representative body and executive organ, work together with Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League, All-China Federation of Taiwan Compatriots -
East Turkistan Government-in-Exile19492004Campaigns for the restoration of an independent East Turkistan; based in Washington, DC, United States
Crown Council of Ethiopia19741993Led by Prince Ermias Sahle Selassie and based in the Washington D.C. Metropolitan Area-
National Council of Iran—2013Political umbrella coalition of forty Iranian opposition political organizations, led by Prince Reza Pahlavi; based in Maryland, United States-
National Council of Resistance of Iran—1981Political umbrella coalition of five Iranian opposition political organizations, the largest organization being the People's Mujahedin of Iran led by Maryam and Massoud Rajavi; based in Paris-
Progress Party of Equatorial Guinea—2003Proclaimed Severo Moto President of Equatorial Guinea in Madrid-
Third Republic of Vietnam19901991Third Republic of Vietnam previously named Provisional National Government of Vietnam was formed in Orange County, California by former soldiers and refugees from the former South Vietnamese. Declared a terrorist organization in Vietnam.-
Syrian Interim Government—2012Opposes the government of the Syrian Arab Republic; based in Istanbul; has ties to some Free Syrian Army groups.-
Royal Lao Government in Exile—1993Opposes communist government in Laos; seek to institute a constitutional monarchy, based in Gresham, Oregon.-

Alternative separatist governments of current subnational territories

These governments have been created in exile by political organisations, opposition parties, and separatist movements, and desire to become the governing authorities of their territories as independent states, or claim to be the successor to previously deposed governments, and have been created as alternatives to incumbent governments.

Exiled governments of non-self-governing or occupied territories

These governments in exile are governments of non-self-governing or occupied territories. They claim legitimate authority over a territory they once controlled, or claim legitimacy of a post-decolonization authority. The claim may stem from an exiled group's election as a legitimate government.
The United Nations recognizes the right of self-determination for the population of these territories, including the possibility of establishing independent sovereign states.
From the Palestinian Declaration of Independence in 1988 in exile in Algiers by the Palestine Liberation Organization, it has effectively functioned as the government in exile of the Palestinian State. In 1994, however the PLO established the Palestinian National Authority interim territorial administration as result of the Oslo Accords signed by the PLO, Israel, the United States, and Russia. Between 1994 and 2013, the PNA functioned as an autonomy, thus while the government was seated in the West Bank it was not sovereign. In 2013, Palestine was upgraded to a non-member state status in the UN.
All of the above created an ambiguous situation, in which there are two distinct entities: The Palestinian Authority, exercising a severely limited amount of control on the ground under the tutelage of an Israeli military occupation; and the State of Palestine, recognized by the United Nations and by numerous countries as a fully sovereign and independent state, but not able to exercise such sovereignty on the ground. Both are headed by the same person—as of February 2016, President Mahmud Abbas—but are judicially distinct. For example, a dissolution of The Palestinian Authority and resumption of full rule on the ground by Israel would not in itself affect the State of Palestine, which could continue to exist as a government-in-exile diplomatically recognized by the UN and by numerous countries.

Exiled governments with ambiguous status

These governments have ties to the area they represent, but their claimed status and/or stated aims are sufficiently ambiguous that they could fit into other categories.
NameExileCurrent control of claimed territoryNotesReferences
Central Tibetan Administration1959Founded by the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala, India with cooperation of Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru; see also Tibetan sovereignty debate and Tibetan independence movement
Ukrainian Salvation Committee2015Formed in Moscow, Russia, by former Prime Minister of Ukraine Mykola Azarov, with the intention of holding new elections in Ukraine.
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic1976Proclaimed on February 27, 1976, following the Spanish withdrawal from what was until then Spanish Sahara after the POLISARIO insurgency. Not strictly a government in exile since it does control 20–25% of its claimed territory. Nevertheless, often referred to as such, especially since most day-to-day government business is conducted in the Tindouf refugee camps in Algeria, which house most of the Sahrawi exile community, rather than in the proclaimed temporary capital.

Past governments in exile

NameExiled or created sinceDefunct, reestablished, or integrated sinceState that controlled its claimed territoryNotesReferences
Republican Government of Siena15551559 Grand Duchy of TuscanyAfter the Italian city-state of Siena was defeated in the Battle of Marciano and annexed to the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, 700 Sienese families did not concede defeat, established themselves in Montalcino and declared themselves to be the legitimate Republican Government of Siena. This lasted until 1559, when Tuscan troops arrived and annexed Montalcino, too.
Exile government of the Electoral Palatinate1622–1623*1648° Electorate of BavariaIn the early stages of the Thirty Years' War, Maximilian I, Elector of Bavaria, occupied the Electoral Palatinate and was awarded possession of it by Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor. In late 1622 and early 1623, the fugitive Frederick V, Elector Palatine organised a Palatinate government-in-exile at The Hague. This Palatinate Council was headed by Ludwig Camerarius, replaced in 1627 by Johann Joachim Rusdorf. Frederick himself died in exile, but his son and heir Charles Louis was able to regain the Lower Palatinate following the Peace of Westphalia in 1648.
Privy Council of England16491660°Based for most of the Interregnum in the Spanish Netherlands and headed by Charles II; actively supported Charles' claim to the thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland
Hanover exile court/Guelphic Legion18661878 Prussia
Germany		On September 20, 1866, Prussia annexed Hanover. Living in exile in Austria, at Hietzing and Gmunden, King George V of Hanover never abandoned his claim to the Hanoverian throne and from 1866 to 1870 maintained at his own expense an exile Hanoverian armed force, the Guelphic Legion. George was forced to give up this Legion after the Prussian lower chamber passed in 1869 a law sequestering his funds. George V died in 1878. Though his son and heir Prince Ernest Augustus retained a formal claim to be the legitimate King of Hanover until 1918, he does not seem to have kept up a government-in-exile.
18931895 Republic of HawaiiRoyal government exiled following the Hawaiian Revolution of 1893, dissolved after the abdication of Queen Liliuokalani in response to the Hawaiian Counter-revolution of 1895.
Provisional Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh1971*1972° East PakistanBased in Calcutta; led by Tajuddin Ahmad, the first Prime Minister of Bangladesh, during the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971.
1919*1948° KoreaBased in Shanghai, and later in Chongqing; after Japan's defeat in World War II, President Syngman Rhee became the first president of the First Republic of South Korea
All-Palestine Government19481959The All-Palestine government was proclaimed in Gaza in September 1948, but was shortly relocated to Cairo in fear of Israeli offensive. Despite Egyptian ability to keep control of the Gaza Strip, the All-Palestine Government was forced to remain in exile in Cairo, gradually stripping it of its authority, until in 1959 it was dissolved by President Gamal Abdel Nasser's decree.
Provisional Government of the Algerian Republic1958*1962* French Algeria Established during the latter part of the Algerian War of Independence; after the war, a compromise agreement with the Armée de Libération Nationale dissolved it but allowed most of its members to enter the post-independence government
Revolutionary Government of Angola in Exile1962*1992° People's Republic of AngolaBased in Kinshasa; its military branch, the National Liberation Front of Angola, was recognized as a political party in 1992 and holds three seats in Angola's parliament

Government of Free Vietnam		1995*2013°The Government of Free Vietnam was an anti-communist political organization centered in Garden Grove, California and Missouri City, Texas. It was disbanded in 2013.-
Namibian Government in Exile1966*1989°Formed after opposition to the apartheid South African administration over South-West Africa, which had been ruled as illegal by the United Nations; in 1990, Namibia achieved independence after the South African Border War.
Sinkiang Provincial Government Office19491992 Xinjiang Autonomous RegionRelocated to Taipei, Taiwan in 1949 after Sinkiang fell to the communists. Office was abolished in 1992 after the Taiwan government accepted the "One China" Consensus.
Coalition Government of Democratic Kampuchea1982*1993° People's Republic of KampucheaEstablished with UN recognition in opposition to the Vietnamese-backed government. Elections in 1993 brought the reintegration of the exiled government into the newly reconstituted Kingdom of Cambodia.
Polish government-in-exile1939*1990°Based in Paris, Angers, and London, it opposed German occupied Poland and the Soviet satellite state, the People's Republic of Poland; disbanded following the fall of communism in Poland.
Estonian government-in-exile1953*1992 Estonian Soviet Socialist RepublicEstablished in Sweden by several members of Otto Tief's government; did not achieve any international recognizion. In fact, it was not recognized even by Estonian diplomatic legations that were seen by western countries as legal representatives of the annexed state. However the government in exile was recognized by the restored Government of Estonia when the government in exile ceased its activity in 1992 and gave over its credentials to the restored Republic of Estonia. A rival electoral committee was created by another group of Estonian exiles in the same year in Detmold, North Rhine-Westphalia, West Germany, but it was short lived.
Spanish Republican government in exile19391977Created after Francisco Franco's coup d'état; first based in Paris, France from 1939 until 1940 when France fell to the Nazis. The exiled government was then moved to Mexico City and stayed there from 1940 to 1946, when it was moved back to Paris, where it lasted until Franco's death and democracy in Spain was restored in the transition.
Government of the Democratic Republic of Georgia in Exile19211954 Georgian Soviet Socialist RepublicFormed after the Soviet invasion of Georgia of 1921; based in Leuville-sur-Orge, France
Dubrovnik Republic 19911992Formed in Cavtat with the help of the Yugoslav People's Army after Croatia declared independence from Yugoslavia. Claimed to be the historic successor of the Republic of Ragusa.
President of Ukraine 19201992Organized after the Soviet occupation of Ukraine during the Russian Civil War.
Free Aceh Movement1976*2005 Republic of IndonesiaHeadquartered in Sweden; surrendered its separatist intentions and dissolved its armed wing following the 2005 peace agreement with the Indonesian government
Bongo Doit Partir19982009Founded by Daniel Mengara in opposition to president Omar Bongo; after Bongo's death in June 2009, Mengara returned to Gabon in order to participate in the country's elections
Confederate government of Missouri18611865State of MissouriMissouri had both Union and Confederate governments, but the Confederate government was exiled, eventually governing out of Marshall, Texas.
Confederate government of Kentucky18611865Commonwealth of KentuckyKentucky had both Union and Confederate governments. The Confederate government was soon forced out of the state, and was an exiled government traveling with the Confederate Army of Tennessee, except for during a short return when the Confederate army briefly occupied Frankfort.
Restored Government of Virginia18611865 Commonwealth of Virginia
East Tennessee18611862State of Tennessee
De Broqueville government in exile19141918 German EmpireFormed in 1915 by the Government of Belgium following the German invasion during World War I. It was disbanded following the restoration of Belgian sovereignty with the Armistice with Germany.
National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma19902012Led by Sein Win and composed of members of parliament elected in 1990 but not allowed by the military to take office; based in Rockville, Montgomery County, Maryland, U.S.
Philippine Commonwealth in exile19421944°After Japanese forces took control over the Philippine islands, the Philippine commonwealth government led by Manuel Quezon fled first to Melbourne, Australia and later to Washington, D.C. United States. It existed from May 1942 to October 1944 before returning to the Philippines along with U.S. forces during the Philippines campaign.
Emergency Government of the Republic of Indonesia1948*1949° Dutch East IndiesBased in Bukittinggi; led by Sjafruddin Prawiranegara, founded after Operatie Kraai in December 1948. Disbanded after Roem–Van Roijen Agreement.

World War II

Many countries established a government in exile after loss of sovereignty in connection with World War II.

Governments in London

A large number of European governments-in-exile were set up in London.
NameLeaders
Belgian government in exilePrime Minister: Hubert Pierlot
Czechoslovak government-in-exile
Free FranceCharles de Gaulle, Henri Giraud, French Committee of National Liberation
Greek government-in-exile
Luxembourg government-in-exile
Dutch government-in-exile
  • Queen Wilhelmina
  • Prime Minister: Dirk Jan de Geer, Pieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy
    • Norwegian government-in-exile
    Polish government-in-exile
  • President: Władysław Raczkiewicz
  • Prime Minister: Władysław Sikorski, Stanisław Mikołajczyk, Tomasz Arciszewski
    • Yugoslav government-in-exile
    Unrecognised groups
    Other exiled leaders in Britain in this time included King Zog of Albania and Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia.
    Occupied Denmark did not establish a government in exile, although there was an Association of Free Danes established in London. The government remained in Denmark and functioned with relative independence until August 1943 when it was dissolved, placing Denmark under full German occupation. Meanwhile, Iceland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands were occupied by the Allies and effectively separated from the Danish crown.

    Governments-in-exile in Asia

    The Philippine Commonwealth established a government in exile, initially located in Australia and later in the United States. Earlier, in 1897, the Hong Kong Junta was established as a government in exile by the Philippine revolutionary Republic of Biak-na-Bato.
    While formed long before World War II, the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea continued in exile in China until the end of the war.
    At the fall of Java, and the surrender by the Dutch on behalf of Allied forces on March 8, 1942, many Dutch-Indies officials managed to flee to Australia in March 1942, and on December 23, 1943, the Royal Government decreed an official Netherlands East Indies Government-in-exile, with Dr van Mook as Acting Governor General, on Australian soil until Dutch rule was restored in the Indies.

    Axis-aligned governments in exile

    Under the auspices of the Axis powers, Axis-aligned groups from some countries set up "governments-in-exile" in Axis territory, even though internationally recognized governments were in place in their home countries. The main purpose of these was to recruit and organize military units composed of their nationals in the host country.
    NameExiled or created sinceDefunct, reestablished, or integrated sinceState that controlled its claimed territoryNotesReferences
    Bulgarian national government-in-exileSeptember 16, 1944*May 10, 1945 Kingdom of Bulgaria Based in Vienna, Austria
    September 7, 1944*April 23, 1945°Provisional Government of the French RepublicMembers of the collaborationist French cabinet at Vichy were relocated by the Germans to the Sigmaringen enclave in Germany, where they became a government-in-exile until April 1945. They were given formal governmental power over the city of Sigmaringen, and the three Axis governments – Germany, Italy and Japan – established there what were officially their Embassies to France. Pétain having refused to take part in this, it was headed by Fernand de Brinon.
    Kingdom of Hungary28/29 March 1945May 7, 1945 Czechoslovak Republic

    Kingdom of Hungary

    Kingdom of Romania

    Kingdom of Yugoslavia    		Based in Vienna and Munich.-
    Kingdom of RomaniaAugust, 1944May 8, 1945 Kingdom of RomaniaBased in Vienna. Headed by Horia Sima-
    Montenegrin State CouncilSummer of 1944May 8, 1945 Kingdom of YugoslaviaBased in Zagreb. Headed by Sekula Drljević.-
    Slovak RepublicApril 4, 1945May 8, 1945 Czechoslovak RepublicBased in Kremsmünster.-
    Provisional Government of Free IndiaOctober 21, 1943*August 18, 1945British RajIndia's First Independent Government in exile to fight with and get territorial independence from British-Raj. It was based in Rangoon and later in Port Blair. Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose was the leader of the government and the Head of State of this provisional Indian government in exile, established in Singapore but later given control of Japanese-controlled territory in far eastern India and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Indian Government has also issued its currency notes and started establishing bilateral relationships with anti-British countries. Azad Hind Fauj or Indian National Army INA was official military of Government of India led by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. This government was disestablished in 1945 following the defeat of the Axis powers in World War II. INA kept fighting for independence of India, which led to create revolt by Indian Navy against British Govt in India and that forced British to think about leaving India.-
    June 11, 1945August 17, 1945° Philippine CommonwealthAfter the Allied forces liberated the Philippines from Japanese occupiers and the reestablishment of the Philippine Commonwealth in the archipelago after a few years in exile in the United States, the Second Philippine Republic became a nominal government-in-exile from June 11, 1945 based in Nara / Tokyo. The government was later dissolved on August 17, 1945.

    Persian Gulf War

    Following the Ba'athist Iraqi invasion and occupation of Kuwait, during the Persian Gulf War, on August 2, 1990, Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and senior members of his government fled to Saudi Arabia, where they set up a government-in-exile in Ta'if. The Kuwaiti government in exile was far more affluent than most other such governments, having full disposal of the very considerable Kuwaiti assets in western banks—of which it made use to conduct a massive propaganda campaign denouncing the Ba'athist Iraqi occupation and mobilizing public opinion in the Western world in favor of war with Ba'athist Iraq. In March 1991, following the defeat of Ba'athist Iraq at the hands of coalition forces in the Persian Gulf War, the Sheikh and his government were able to return to Kuwait.

    Municipal councils in exile

    Following the Turkish Invasion of Cyprus in 1974 and the displacement of many Greek Cypriots from North Cyprus, displaced inhabitants of several towns set up what are in effect municipal councils in exile, headed by mayors in exile. The idea is the same as with a national government in exile – to assert a continuation of legitimate rule, even though having no control of the ground, and working towards restoration of such control. Meetings of the exiled Municipal Council of Lapithos took place in the homes of its members until the Exile Municipality was offered temporary offices at 37 Ammochostou Street, Nicosia. The current Exile Mayor of the town is Athos Eleftheriou. The same premises are shared with the Exile Municipal Council of Kythrea.
    Also in the Famagusta District of Cyprus, the administration of the part retained by the Republic of Cyprus considers itself as a "District administration in exile", since the district's capital Famagusta had been under Turkish control since 1974.

    Fictional governments in exile

    Works of alternate history as well as science fictional depictions of the future sometimes include fictional governments in exile.