rival government
A rival government is a political group that claims to be the legitimate government (exclusive mandate) of a sovereign state in opposition to the internationally recognized government of that country.{{cite journal | url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/resrep10785.8.pdf | jstor=resrep10785.8 | title=Rival Governments | last1=Group | first1=Soufan | journal=Libya, Extremism, & the Consequences of Collapse | date=2016 | pages=9–11 }}{{cite web | url=https://www.cfr.org/article/sudans-rival-government | title=Sudan's Rival Government | Council on Foreign Relations }}{{cite web | url=https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/myanmars-junta-brands-rival-government-terrorist-group-2021-05-08/ | title=Myanmar's junta brands rival government a terrorist group | work=Reuters | date=8 May 2021 }} Such governments tend to be formed in the aftermath of a civil war, revolution, or military coup. They differ from a government in exile as they are based in, and have control over territory within the claimed state.
Current rival governments
Previous rival governments since 1945
{{Expand list|date=June 2025}}
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="line-height:1.3em; max-width:1200px" |
| Government
! State ! Established ! Disestablished ! Notes |
|---|
| {{flagicon image|Flag of the Greek Democratic Army.png}} Provisional Democratic Government
|{{flag|Kingdom of Greece}} |1947 |1949 |Established by the Communist Party of Greece in December 1947 during Greek Civil War. It was defeated in 1949 in the Operation Pyrsos and officially dissolved in 1950. |
| {{flag|People's Republic of China}}
|{{flagicon|Republic of China (1912–1949)}} National Government of the Republic of China |1949 |Recognised 1971 |Proclaimed by the Chinese Communist Party in 1949 after its victory in the Chinese Civil War. Gained international recognition with the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 (XXVI). |
| {{flagicon|Indonesia}} Revolutionary Government of the Republic of Indonesia
|{{flag|Indonesia}} |1958 |1961 |Established to combat the Djuanda Cabinet-backed Guided democracy government in Indonesia led by Sukarno, the revolutionary government was eventually defeated and its leaders imprisoned. |
| {{flagicon image|FNL Flag.svg}} Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam
|{{flag icon|South Vietnam}} Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) |1969 |1976 |Established on 8 June 1969 during the Vietnam War in opposition to the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam). Administered Viet Cong held areas of South Vietnam. Was recognized as the government of South Vietnam by most socialist states and Malta.{{Cite web |date=18 April 2010 |title=Mintoff shows off his 'non-aligned manhood' and threatens to break relations with Israel |url=http://archive.maltatoday.com.mt/2010/04/18/t13.html |access-date=10 November 2023 |website=archive.maltatoday.com.mt |archive-date=20 December 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241220004029/http://archive.maltatoday.com.mt/2010/04/18/t13.html |url-status=live }} Became the internationally recognised government of South Vietnam after the Fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. Was disbanded when South Vietnam merged with North Vietnam on 2 July 1976 to form the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. |
| {{flagicon image|Flag of the People's Republic of Kampuchea.svg}} People's Republic of Kampuchea
|{{flagicon image|Flag of Democratic Kampuchea.svg}} Democratic Kampuchea |1979 |1992 |Established by the Kampuchean United Front for National Salvation in opposition to Democratic Kampuchea following the capture of Phnom Penh on 7 January 1979 by Vietnamese forces during the Cambodian–Vietnamese War. Based in Phnom Penh and administered most of Cambodia. The previous regime continued to be recognised as Cambodia's legitimate government by most countries and held the country's seat at the United Nations. The People's Republic of Kampuchea changed its name to the State of Cambodia in 1989 and was disestablished when Cambodia came under United Nations administration in 1992. |
| {{flagicon image|Flag of Democratic Kampuchea.svg}} Provisional Government of National Union and National Salvation of Cambodia
|{{flag|Kingdom of Cambodia}} |1994 |1998 |Established by remnants of the Khmer Rouge. It was based in the Pailin municipality. Dissolved following Pol Pot's death. |
| {{flagicon image|Flag of the Taliban.svg}} Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan
|{{flagicon image|Flag of Afghanistan (1992–2001).svg}} Islamic State of Afghanistan |1996 |2001 |Established by the Taliban on 4 April 1996 during the Afghan conflict in opposition to the Islamic State of Afghanistan. Was initially based in Kandahar before capturing Kabul on 27 September 1996 and had gained control of approximately 90% of Afghanistan by the end of 2000. The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan was recognised by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates as the legitimate government of Afghanistan. The Taliban were forced out of Kabul and Kandahar in 2001 during the United States invasion of Afghanistan. The Taliban maintained an insurgency against the Afghan government and, following a decision by US president Donald Trump to withdraw US forces from Afghanistan beginning in 2020, recaptured Kabul on 15 August 2021. |
| {{flagicon|Libya}} National Transitional Council
|{{flagicon|Libya|1977}} Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya |2011 |2012 |Established by Anti-Gaddafi forces in February 2011 during the First Libyan Civil War in opposition to the Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya. Based in Benghazi. Gained control of eastern Libya in March 2011 and captured Tripoli in August 2011. The council gained recognition by numerous states as the legitimate government of Libya and was granted the country's seat in the United Nations in September 2011. Was superseded by the cabinet appointed by the General National Congress elected in 2012. |
| {{flagicon|Libya}} National Salvation Government
|{{flagicon|Libya}} Second Al-Thani Cabinet |2014 |2016 |Break-away faction of the General National Congress which did not support the formation of the Second Al-Thani Cabinet, originally founded in September 2014. Based in Tripoli and controlled western Libya. Was recognized as the legitimate government of Libya by Turkey, Sudan, Qatar, and Ukraine. Was initially dissolved and absorbed into the internationally recognized Government of National Accord in April 2016 following the Libyan Political Agreement. |
| {{flagicon|Libya}} Second Al-Thani Cabinet
|{{flagicon|Libya}} Government of National Accord |2016 |2021 |Established by the House of Representatives in September 2014 following the 2014 Libyan parliamentary election. Based in Tobruk and controlled eastern Libya. Was recognized by most countries as the legitimate government of Libya until the establishment of the Government of National Accord in March 2016 following the Libyan Political Agreement. Continued to exist in opposition to the Government of National Accord with limited international recognition until both governments merged into the Government of National Unity following the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum in early 2021. |
| {{flagicon|Libya}} National Salvation Government
|{{flagicon|Libya}} Government of National Accord |2016 |2017 |Break-away faction of the General National Congress which did not support the formation of the Government of National Accord following the Libyan Political Agreement. It was reestablished during an attempted coup d'état against the Government of National Accord in October 2016. However, it received no international recognition or support following the coup attempt and was again dissolved and absorbed into the Government of National Accord in March 2017. |
| {{flagicon image|Flag of Syria.svg}} Syrian Interim Government
|{{flagicon|Syria|1980}} Ba'athist Syria |2013 |2025 |Established by the Syrian National Coalition in March 2013 during the Syrian Civil War in opposition to Ba'athist Syria. Based in Azaz and administered parts of northern Syria. Was absorbed into the Syrian caretaker government in January 2025 following the Fall of the Assad regime. |
| {{flagicon image|Flag of the Syrian Salvation Government.svg}} Syrian Salvation Government
|{{flagicon|Syria|1980}} Ba'athist Syria |2017 |2024 |Established by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham in November 2017 during the Syrian Civil War in opposition to Ba'athist Syria. Based in Idlib and administered parts of Idlib Governorate. Was superseded by the Syrian caretaker government in December 2024 following the Fall of the Assad regime. |
Occupation zones
{{see also|Division of Korea|Inner German relations|North Korea–South Korea relations}}
These are rival governments which were established simultaneously in the Soviet and Western occupation zones and claim sole jurisdiction over their respective region but both are recognised by the international community.
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="line-height:1.3em; max-width:1200px" |
| Communist
! Capitalist ! Established ! Disestablished ! Notes |
|---|
| {{flagicon|North Vietnam}} Democratic Republic of Vietnam
|{{flagicon|South Vietnam}} State of Vietnam ---- {{flagicon|South Vietnam}} Republic of Vietnam |1945/54 |1975 |The DRV was declared in 1945 and the State of Vietnam was established in 1949. Vietnam was properly split after the 1954 Geneva Conference and division followed temporary military occupation zones set at the 17th parallel, with the North supported by the Soviet Union and China, and the South supported by the United States. While both were recognized by different blocs of the international community, they were never simultaneously admitted to the United Nations and claimed the exclusive mandate over Vietnam. They fought a war which ended with dissolution of South Vietnam. |
| {{flagicon|North Korea}} Democratic People's Republic of Korea
|{{flagicon|South Korea}} Republic of Korea |1948 |ongoing |Both were established in 1948 and claimed to the exclusive mandate over Korea. They fought a war which did not end with a peace treaty but an armistice signed in 1953. Both were accepted as members of the United Nations in 1991 with the Resolution 702 but have not established official diplomatic relationships with another. North Korea officially abandoned their goal of reuniting Korea in 2024. |
| {{flag|German Democratic Republic}}
|{{flagicon|West Germany}} Federal Republic of Germany |1949 |1990 |Both were established in 1949 and claimed to the exclusive mandate over Germany. The Hallstein Doctrine prevented states which recognised East Germany to establish diplomatic relationships with West Germany. The Ostpolitik and Basic Treaty, 1972 started mutual recognition and both were accepted as members of the United Nations in 1973 with the Resolution 335. In 1974, East Germany removed their sole claim from the constitution. German reunification in 1990 under the Federal Republic of Germany. |
See also
References
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