In a confederal system of government, power is:

The correct answer is C. shared between the central and state governments.

In a confederal system of government, the central authority has limited powers, and the individual states or regions retain a significant degree of autonomy and authority. This means that while there is a central government, most of the power is held by the states, and they work together through agreements. This structure allows for a greater degree of independence among the member states compared to a federal system, where power is more balanced between national and state governments.