The head of state in Wales, a constituent part
of the United Kingdom, is the British monarch, currently Queen Elizabeth
II (since 1952). Executive power is derived by the Queen, and exercised
by the Parliament of the United Kingdom at Westminster, with some
powers devolved to the National
Assembly for Wales in Cardiff. The United Kingdom Parliament
retains responsibility for passing primary legislation in Wales.
The National Assembly has regulatory authority over laws passed
that are applicable to Wales, and has limited power to vary these
by secondary legislation. The National Assembly is not a sovereign
authority, and the UK Parliament could, in theory, overrule or even
abolish it at any time.
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