Governing Away

Clive Anderson examines one of the potentially strangest corners of international politics, the lesser-known governments or rulers in exile - a paradoxical area of international relations and surreal part of international law.

The programme examines intriguing examples, drawn from around the world map, which vary from the serious to the apparently ridiculous. Certainly, the relationship between state, territory and sovereignty is not always what it seems.

In Toronto, for example, a Belarusian government holds court, run by the charismatic Irvonka Survilla. Their version of Belarus only existed for nine months in 1918 before it was assimilated by the Soviet Union. Now that Belarus is independent, is there any reason for their continued existence?

The Coalition Government of the Union of Burma, meanwhile, is based in Rockville, Maryland USA. It is led by Sein Winn MP and consists of a number of MPs elected back in 1990 but barred from power by the military.

The programme also features the exiled King Constantine II of Greece and Prince Ermias Hallie Selassie of Ethiopia.

Clive Anderson examines some of the lesser-known governments or rulers in exile.