An exiled government refers to a government that, after losing its actual governing power within its own country, is forced to relocate abroad. These governments often still consider themselves the legitimate government of their country.
However, they have lost the ability to exercise power within their own nation due to revolutions, coups, or foreign invasions.
During World War II, the Free French government led by Charles de Gaulle was a typical example of an exiled government.
Even though the entire country of France was occupied by Nazi Germany at the time, and Germany had established a puppet regime known as the Vichy government in France, the Free French government was established in Britain and insisted that it was the legitimate government of France.
In 1944, with the support of international anti-fascist forces, the Free French government successfully reclaimed French territory, becoming a classic example of an exiled government transitioning into a legitimate government.
During Nazi Germany's sweep across Europe, in addition to France, the governments of countries such as the Netherlands, Belgium, Norway, Poland, Czechoslovakia, and Yugoslavia also went into exile in Britain.
Among them was the Polish government-in-exile, which eventually returned to its homeland.
However, the Polish government-in-exile experienced more hardships than the Free French government.
After Nazi Germany surrendered in 1945, the Soviet Union established a pro-Soviet government in Poland, forcing the Polish government-in-exile to remain in exile.
It wasn't until Poland underwent political changes in 1989 that it announced its succession from the London government-in-exile, allowing the Polish government-in-exile to return home, ending its half-century-long exile.
Although the term "exiled government" was more frequently mentioned during World War II, it is less commonly seen in international news today.
However, there are still some exiled governments in the world today, continuing their efforts to restore their nations.
Despite their relatively low influence in the international community, their activities persist.
In 1973, India annexed the small country of Sikkim on the China-India border, forcing the last king of Sikkim, Palden Thondup Namgyal, to flee with his family to the United States.
The Namgyal family established the exiled government of the Kingdom of Sikkim in New York, where they continue to work toward their goal of restoring the kingdom.
Another example is the Nguyen Dynasty of Vietnam, the last feudal dynasty in Vietnamese history.
In 1945, the August Revolution broke out in Vietnam, forcing Bao Dai, the last emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty, to abdicate and go into exile in Hong Kong.
Although Bao Dai returned to southern Vietnam with French support and established the "State of Vietnam," a national referendum in 1955 abolished his position as head of state.
Afterward, Bao Dai went into exile again and eventually died in France.
Supporters of the Nguyen Dynasty proclaimed his son as the new emperor, forming the exiled government of the Nguyen Dynasty in Vietnam.
The Pahlavi Dynasty of Iran was overthrown in the 1979 Islamic Revolution, forcing the last Shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, and his family to flee through several countries before settling in Egypt.
His son, Reza Pahlavi, declared himself the successor to the throne and established an exiled government in Maryland, USA.
Despite years of exile, supporters of the Pahlavi family still refer to Reza Pahlavi as "Reza II."
Historically, the exile of some royal families can even be traced back hundreds of years.
For example, the Ethiopian royal family went into exile in the United States after a military coup in 1974, establishing an exiled government.
Although the situation in Ethiopia gradually stabilized after 1994, reducing the influence of the exiled government, recent unrest in Ethiopia has raised suspicions about whether the exiled royal family might consider returning to their homeland.
Laos is a similar case.
In 1945, Laos declared independence, but French forces returned, and Laos did not fully gain independence until 1954, becoming a constitutional monarchy.
In 1975, Laos abolished the monarchy and established the People's Democratic Republic.
The last king of Laos and some officials went into exile, forming an exiled government in the United States.
Additionally, Myanmar has an exiled government known as the "National Unity Government of Myanmar," which claims to inherit the legitimacy of the pre-coup elected government and is committed to overthrowing the military junta and restoring democratic governance.
However, the military government in Myanmar does not seem to consider this exiled government a major threat; instead, various local armed groups are more of a headache for the junta.
Looking at Belarus, while many believe Belarus only became independent after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the country actually declared independence when Tsarist Russia collapsed.
With the formation of the Soviet Union in 1922, Belarus lost its independence again, and its original government went into exile, electing several presidents over the years.
A more unusual example is the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.
This military organization began its exile across Europe after being expelled from Malta by Napoleon in 1798.
Today, they are settled in Rome, Italy, and claim to be an independent sovereign state.
Although the Sovereign Military Order of Malta has only a 12,000 square meter building as its "territory" and no official citizens, it has still gained observer status at the United Nations and established diplomatic relations with several countries.
Despite the diminished influence of exiled governments in today's world, their existence continues to reflect the indomitable dreams of restoring nations held by governments and royal families forced into exile by historical events.
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