Captains Regent

Captains Regent (Italian: Capitani Reggenti; Romagnol: Capitèn Regìnt) are the two heads of state of the Republic of San Marino. They are chosen by the Grand and General Council, which is the country's legislative body. Each pair of Captains Regent serves for six months, with new leaders taking office on April 1st and October 1st every year.

This tradition of having two leaders goes back to at least the year 1243. Having two leaders at the same time comes from the old ways of the Roman Republic, similar to how ancient Rome had two consuls. Unlike the ancient Roman consuls, the Captains Regent do not make decisions or run the government. They are mostly symbols of the country.

History

The two leaders of San Marino, called Captains Regent, began their role in the 1200s. At first, they were known as consuls, a name from ancient Rome. The first two consuls were chosen on December 12, 1243, by the Grand and General Council to serve for six months, a tradition that continues today.

Over time, their titles changed from consuls to captain and defender, and later to captain and rector. One leader came from the upper class and the other from the working class. In 1973, a law allowed women to hold public office. The first woman to become a Captain Regent was Maria Lea Pedini in 1981. In 2017, two women, Vanessa D'Ambrosio and Mimma Zavoli, served together as Captains Regent. Since 1984, San Marino has had more female heads of state than any other country in the world. As of April 2026, 22 women have served as Captains Regent, totaling 13 years of leadership.

Election

Captains Regent are chosen every six months by the Grand and General Council. They are usually from different parties to keep balance and fair oversight. The rules for this election come from a law made in 1945, based on older rules from 1600.

A pair of Captains Regent is chosen if they get enough votes. If no pair gets enough votes, there is another vote.

After they are chosen, the Minister for Internal Affairs tells everyone about the new Captains Regent from the balcony of the government building.

To be a Captain Regent, a person must be a citizen from birth, at least 25 years old, an elected member of the Grand and General Council, and not have been a Captain Regent in the last three years.

Captains Regent serve for six months, from April 1 to October 1 and then from October 1 to April 1 each year.

Ceremonies to welcome the new Captains Regent happen on April 1 and October 1 every year. In the morning, in the Piazza della Libertà, the Sammarinese Armed Forces gather for a flag-raising event. As the flag goes up, there is a gun salute. The new Captains Regent move from the Palazzo Pubblico to the Basilica of San Marino for a special church service. They return to the palazzo for a speech and to take an oath. The old Captains Regent give a special necklace to the new ones. The ceremony ends with the national anthem, and the old Captains Regent leave. The group then goes to Palazzo Valloni for the official start of their time in office. Finally, the Armed Forces gather again for a flag-lowering ceremony.

Power

The Captains Regent are the heads of state for the Republic of San Marino. They work together and can stop each other's decisions. They are addressed with the title of Excellency.

Their role is mostly symbolic. They represent the country and help make sure the government follows the rules. They watch over the Grand and General Council, the Congress of State, and the Council of XII, but they cannot vote or make final decisions. They can end the parliament if it cannot form a stable government or when its term ends. They also approve and announce laws passed by the Grand and General Council.

Regency Syndicate

The Captains Regent are protected from being questioned while they are in office. After their time in office ends, they face a review called the Regency Syndicate. This review has been part of San Marino's rules since 1499. Today, a group called the Guarantors' Panel on the Constitutionality of Rules handles this review. Within fifteen days after their term ends, anyone can share concerns about what the Captains Regent did or didn’t do during their time in office.