Andorra: Two Unlikely Princes Who Reign

Andorra is an old country. It was established in 1278 after a long and costly war between France and Spain over the territory which is not valuable in itself but strategically placed on major medieval routes through the Pyrenees. It was already then established as a Principality with two reigning Princes, the Bishop of Seu d’Urgell in Spain and the Count of Foix in France to represent the interests of both powers. This condominium endured for 500 years until the French revolutionary government rescinded all contracts signed by the kings of France at any time.

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Napoleon then reaffirmed all contracts and, the family of Foix having completely perished in the troubles, assumed the part of the counts himself thereby gathering more power to his office at the same time. Since then, the head of state of France is also Prince of Andorra irrespective of his worldly status as emperor, king, or president. Nicolas Sarkozy is therefore at this time head of state for both countries, France and Andorra. The present Bishop of Seu d’Urgell is still his counterpart in this curious contraption.

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Andorra got its first written constitution in 1993 thereby becoming an institutional monarchy with the two princes in merely representative roles. An exception is made for foreign politics in which both princes have the right to veto any decision by government or parliament. The country uses the Euro without being part of either the European Union or the monetary union behind the Euro.

Andorra is one of those tax havens so deplored by politicians who have milked their own countries dry by lining their pockets and those of their followers. Steinbrueck as Minister of Finances in Germany should maybe have a talk with rich and mighty Prince Sarkozy about Andorra, instead of publicly attacking Switzerland, Austria and Luxembourg, where people pay taxes. Andorra doesn’t know the word, I think, though a value added tax has come into force some years back at a nominal level. Andorra is most efficiently doing its shady dealings under the protection of both France and Spain.

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The Catholic Church is state religion in Andorra, and Catalan is the national language, though there are large Spanish and French minorities. The main income of the country stems from its banks and from tourism. It is renowned for its skiing with French and Spanish alike. Andorra has no army but relies on Spain and France to protect it instead. It is accounted the largest of the dwarf states in Europe.