Religious Requirements for Heads of State Around the World: A Pew Research Analysis

The Pew Research analysis has revealed that 30 countries around the world have unique requirements for their heads of state to have a specific religious affiliation. These requirements range from being a member of a particular religious group to upholding a specific belief system.

For example, Lebanon mandates that its president must be a member of the Maronite Christian Church, while Jordan requires the heir to the throne to be a Muslim child of Muslim parents. In Tunisia, any Muslim voter born in the country can qualify as a candidate for president.

Interestingly, two countries, Lebanon and Andorra, require their heads of state to have a Christian affiliation. Meanwhile, Bhutan and Thailand mandate that their monarchies be Buddhist, and Indonesia requires its head of state to uphold the official state belief in Pancasila.

In addition to these 30 countries, another 19 nations have religious requirements for ceremonial monarchs who serve as their heads of state. This includes countries like the United Kingdom, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, all of which are members of the Commonwealth of Nations with Queen Elizabeth II as their head of state.

While most countries around the world allow citizens of any religious affiliation to be head of state, some still have laws prohibiting nonbelievers from holding office. However, the Supreme Court has made it clear that the establishment clause in the First Amendment prohibits states from requiring office-holders to profess a belief in God.

This analysis was conducted by examining country constitutions and official government websites. The data used in this analysis is available for download for further exploration.