what is the difference between a federal form of government and a confederal form of governement

A federal form of government is a system where power is divided between a central or national government and regional or state governments. The central government has specific powers and responsibilities outlined in the constitution, while the regional governments have their own set of powers that are independent from the central government. Examples of federal governments include the United States, Canada, and Germany.

On the other hand, a confederal form of government is a system where power is mainly held at the regional or state level, and the central government has limited powers. The regional governments retain their sovereignty, and they voluntarily come together to form a central government for specific purposes, such as defense or trade. The central government in a confederal system typically has the authority to make decisions only if the regional governments agree. An example of a confederal government is the European Union, where individual member states retain their autonomy and willingly delegate certain powers to the central EU institutions.

In summary, the key difference between a federal and confederal form of government lies in the distribution of power and authority between the central and regional governments. In a federal system, the central government has more power and authority, while in a confederal system, the regional governments retain more power and authority.