Confederalism could be regarded as

A confederation (confederalism) is a system of government in which sovereign, independent states come together and delegate limited powers to a central authority while retaining most of their powers and sovereignty. This arrangement results in a weak centre and strong components.

In a confederation:

• The component states retain their sovereignty, independence, and right to secede.
• The central government has only the powers that the member states voluntarily grant to it.
• The central body typically handles limited matters such as defence and foreign affairs, and even then usually requires the consent of member states.
• The central government cannot directly tax citizens or enforce laws without the cooperation of member states.

This contrasts with other systems on the spectrum of power distribution:

• A federal system has a strong centre and strong components, with powers constitutionally divided between both levels.
• A unitary system has a strong centre and weak components, with power concentrated at the centre.

Historical examples of confederations include the early United States under the Articles of Confederation (1781-1789) and the Senegambia Confederation (1982-1989).