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Republic of San Marino
San Marino.
Head of State · Regency

Captains
Regent

Two Regents, one office. The Regency is the collegial body at the top of the Republic of San Marino: every six months the Great and General Council elects two of its members as Heads of State, following a principle of rotation that goes back to the thirteenth century.

Regents in office
2
Mandate
6 months
Investiture
1 Apr · 1 Oct

Source: Regency of the Republic of San Marino · Leges Statutae Republicae Sancti Marini

Investiture ceremony of the Captains Regent at the Public Palace
Ceremony
Investiture in the Public Palace
§ I — How they are elected

A pair, every six months

As provided by article 3 of the Declaration of Citizens' Rights, the Regency holds the office of Head of State of the Republic. The two Regents are chosen by the Great and General Council from among its own members by ballot vote: the pair that obtains the absolute majority of votes is elected. The proclamation ceremony is held in the Public Palace and each time coincides with a national holiday.

The mandate runs from 1 April or 1 October and lasts exactly six months. The Regents preside over the Great and General Council, the State Congress and the Council of the XII. They may also issue urgent decrees, valid for three months and to be ratified within the same term under penalty of lapsing. At the end of the mandate the pair is subjected to the Sindacato, the constitutional and administrative review procedure provided for by the Statutes.

Requirements for office
Requirement Condition
Office of CouncillorBeing a member of the Great and General Council
Minimum age25 years completed
CitizenshipOriginal Sammarinese citizenship (acquired by birth)
Time intervalNot having held the office in the previous 3 years
§ II — Historical roots

From Consuls to Rectors

The figure originated to administer justice: the judicial function was soon joined by the administrative one, exercised for centuries together with the Great and General Council. Until around 1200 the two heads were called Consuls. In 1295 the Captain (of the primary class) and the Defender (of the rural class) were appointed separately. In 1317 both took the title of Captain or Rector (Capitaneus seu Rector), the source of the present title of Captain Regent.

«Tradition holds that Marinus himself instituted them: the prohibition on concentrating power in a single person remains the first commandment of the Republic.»
— Oral tradition, taken up in the 12th-century anonymous hagiography
§ III — Role and functions

What the Regents do

  • ◆Preside over the Great and General Council, the State Congress and the Council of the XII.
  • ◆Represent the Republic in international relations and in State ceremonies.
  • ◆Issue urgent decrees valid for three months, to be ratified by the Council within the same term.
  • ◆Convene and open the Istanza d'Arengo, on the first Sunday after their investiture.
  • ◆Sign laws, delegated decrees and acts of promulgation.
§ IV — Related

Other organs of the State

Legislative

Great and General Council
Executive

State Congress
Overview

Institutions of San Marino
FAQ · Useful answers

Frequently asked questions

Who are the Captains Regent?
They are the two Heads of State of the Republic of San Marino, elected every six months by the Great and General Council from among its own members. They exercise the functions collegially and on equal footing.
When do they take office?
Investiture takes place every six months: on 1 April and 1 October each year. Both dates are national holidays of the Republic.
How long is the mandate?
Six months. The same citizen cannot be re-elected Regent within three years of the end of the mandate.
What are the requirements to become Captain Regent?
Holding the office of Councillor, original Sammarinese citizenship, age of at least 25 and absence of the same office in the previous three years.
What is the Sindacato della Reggenza?
The procedure of constitutional and administrative review to which the Regents are subjected at the end of their mandate, provided for by the Leges Statutae and current legislation.