Unitary State

Unitary state is a form of governance characterized by the dominance of a single central authority and the operation of a single government system across the entire country. In Law literature, the most prominent feature of the unitary state is the indivisibility and unity of sovereignty. While constitutions place the state’s singularity and indivisibility under guarantee, evolving administrative structures have made it increasingly difficult to define the unitary state with precision.

The unitary state is defined as a form of government in which the legislature, executive, and judiciary are all administered by a single central authority. In the unitary state model, all state functions are under the control of the central government, and regional administrations are granted only limited powers. France, the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, and Türkiye are cited as countries with a unitary state structure in the classical sense.

The unitary state is based on the principle of unity in the elements of the state:

• Single Nation: In a unitary state, sovereignty applies uniformly within the country’s borders. Although there may be different administrative units, they are all subject to the authority of the central government.
• Single Nation: In a unitary state, the nation is regarded as an indivisible whole. This concept, inherited from the French Revolution, emphasizes the preservation of national identity.
• Unity of Sovereignty: Sovereignty is exercised exclusively by the central government. Local administrations have no independent legislative authority; all laws are enacted by the central government.

In the unitary state system, sovereignty is indivisible and represented by a single authority. This situation ensures that the state acts with a single identity both in domestic governance and in international relations.

In unitary states, all citizens are subject to the same legal system. Laws are valid throughout the entire country, and no separate legal frameworks exist in different regions.

Administrative authority is concentrated in a single center. Public services across the country are carried out and supervised by the central authority. However, in some unitary states, decentralization practices may grant certain powers to local administrations.

France is a classic example of a centralized unitary state. Its administrative structures are directly managed and controlled by the central government. Although France has regions such as Corsica, they remain subject to the decisions of the central government.

In Spain, autonomous regions such as Catalonia and the Basque Country possess extensive powers. However, these regions remain subordinate to the central government, and national unity is preserved. Although Spain exhibits certain features resembling a federal system, it is constitutionally a unitary state.

The Republic of Türkiye is explicitly defined as a unitary state in its constitutions of 1921, 1924, 1961, and 1982. Türkiye’s unitary state model is based on the principles of a single state, a single nation, a single flag, and a single sovereignty.

• Decentralization and Regionalization: Today, many unitary states are inclined to transfer greater powers to local administrations. For example, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland in the United Kingdom have been granted extensive autonomy. Such practices stretch the structure of the unitary state and bring it closer to a federal model.
• Globalization and International Influences: Supranational structures such as the European Union have created new dynamics affecting state sovereignty. The transfer of certain powers by member states to the European Union has rendered the concept of the unitary state more contentious.
• Debates on Transition to Federalism: Some scholars argue that unitary states may eventually evolve into federal states. Belgium, for instance, transitioned from a unitary structure to a federal system through a constitutional amendment in 1993. This transformation highlights the need for unitary states to demonstrate flexibility in response to globalization and administrative reforms.

Türkiye’s unitary state structure is definitively established by Article 3 of the 1982 Constitution:

• The Turkish State is an indivisible whole with its territory and nation.
• The official language is Turkish.
• The capital is Ankara.