The Council of State is a unique governmental body in a country or subdivision thereoff, though its nature may range from the formal name for the cabinet

Cabinet (government)

A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...

 to a non-executive advisory body surrounding a head of state. It is sometimes (arguably erroneously) regarded as the equivalent of a privy council

Privy council

A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on...

.

Modern

• Belgian Council of State
  Council of State (Belgium)
  Council of State , in Belgium, is an organ of the Belgian government: it is the Supreme Administrative Court of Belgium. Its functions include assisting the executive with legal advice and being the supreme court for administrative justice...
  
   - this is a judicial and advisory body. It assists the executive with legal advice and is the supreme court for administrative justice.
• British Council of State
  Counsellor of State
  In the United Kingdom, Counsellors of State are senior members of the British royal family to whom the Monarch, currently Elizabeth II, delegates certain state functions and powers when she is in another Commonwealth realm, abroad or unavailable for other reasons...
  
   - This body is the group of people who carry out the monarch's functions when the Queen is on a short-term absence, e.g., Commonwealth tours, short-term illness, etc.
• Colombian Council of State
  Council of State of Colombia
  The Council of State of ColombiaState Council- It is conformed by twenty-seven magistrates that exercise during eight years.- It regulates the conflicts between the matters and the State.Superior Council of Judicature...
  
  
• State Council of the People's Republic of China
  State Council of the People's Republic of China
  The State Council of the People's Republic of China , which is largely synonymous with the Central People's Government after 1954, is the chief administrative authority of the People's Republic of China. It is chaired by the Premier and includes the heads of each governmental department and agency...
  
   - The highest administrative body of the People's Republic of China
  People's Republic of China
  China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
  
  .
• Cuban Council of State
• Danish Council of State
  Danish Council of State
  The Council of State is the privy council of Denmark. The body of advisors to the Danish sovereign, the council is a formal institution, with largely ceremonial functions. Chaired by the sovereign, the council comprises all cabinet ministers and the Crown prince or hereditary princess when he or...
  
   - this body is similar to a privy council. Its role is largely ceremonial and includes granting the royal assent
  Royal Assent
  The granting of royal assent refers to the method by which any constitutional monarch formally approves and promulgates an act of his or her nation's parliament, thus making it a law...
  
   and approving King's activities as head of state. It consists of all cabinet ministers and the Crown Prince or Hereditary Princess when he or she is of age.
• Dutch Council of State
  Dutch Council of State
  In the Netherlands, the Council of State is a constitutionally established advisory body to the government which consists of members of the royal family and Crown-appointed members generally having political, commercial, diplomatic, or military experience...
  
   - this is an advisory body to the government which consists of members of the royal family and Crown appointed members generally having political, commercial, diplomatic, or military experience. The Council of State must be consulted by the Dutch cabinet
  Cabinet of the Netherlands
  The cabinet of the Netherlands is the main executive body of the Dutch government. The current cabinet of the Netherlands is the Rutte cabinet.-Composition and role:...
  
   on proposed legislation before a law is submitted to the parliament and also serves as a channel of appeal for citizens against decisions of the executive branch
  Executive (government)
  Executive branch of Government is the part of government that has sole authority and responsibility for the daily administration of the state bureaucracy. The division of power into separate branches of government is central to the idea of the separation of powers.In many countries, the term...
  
  .
• Egyptian Council of State
• Finnish Council of State - this is the Finnish cabinet. It consists of the prime minister and other ministers, and must enjoy the confidence of the Finnish parliament.
• French Council of State - this is a judicial and advisory body. It assists the executive with legal advice and is the supreme court for administrative justice.
• Ghanaian Council of State
  Council of State (Ghana)
  The Council of State in Ghana is a small body of prominent citizens, analogous to the Council of Elders in the traditional political system, which advises the President on national issues....
  
   - this body advises the President of Ghana
  Ghana
  Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
  
   in the exercise of most of his/her reserve powers.
• Greek Council of State
  Council of State (Greece)
  In Greece, the Council of State is the Supreme Administrative Court of Greece.-Organization:...
  
   - this is the supreme administrative court of Greece
  Greece
  Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
  
   and an administrative organ examining all presidential decrees before their issuing.
• Indian Council of State
  Rajya Sabha
  The Rajya Sabha or Council of States is the upper house of the Parliament of India. Rajya means "state," and Sabha means "assembly hall" in Sanskrit. Membership is limited to 250 members, 12 of whom are chosen by the President of India for their expertise in specific fields of art, literature,...
  
   or "Rajya Sabha" - is the upper house of the Parliament of India
  Parliament of India
  The Parliament of India is the supreme legislative body in India. Founded in 1919, the Parliament alone possesses legislative supremacy and thereby ultimate power over all political bodies in India. The Parliament of India comprises the President and the two Houses, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha...
  
  
• Irish Council of State
  Council of State (Ireland)
  The Council of State is a body established by the Constitution of Ireland to advise the President of Ireland in the exercise of many of his or her discretionary, reserve powers...
  
   - this body advises the President of Ireland
  President of Ireland
  The President of Ireland is the head of state of Ireland. The President is usually directly elected by the people for seven years, and can be elected for a maximum of two terms. The presidency is largely a ceremonial office, but the President does exercise certain limited powers with absolute...
  
   in the exercise of most of his/her reserve powers. In practice it meets only rarely. The President is not obliged to heed its advice but must consult the body in certain circumstances.
• Italian Council of State
  Italian Council of State
  The Consiglio di Stato is a legal-administrative consultative body and ensures the legality of public administration in Italy. The council has jurisdiction on acts of all administrative authorities, except when these authorities lack discretionary power, in which case the dispute is considered to...
  
   - a legal-administrative consultative body and ensures the legality of public administration.
• Liberian Council of State - interim ruling body in mid 1990s (see President of Liberia)
• Luxembourg Council of State
  Council of State of Luxembourg
  The Council of State is an institution in Luxembourg that advises the national legislature, the Chamber of Deputies. Until 1 January 1997, it was also the country's supreme administrative court, but this function was ceded to the newly created Administrative Tribunal and Administrative Court.The...
  
  
• Nigerian Council of State
  Council of State (Nigeria)
  The Nigerian Council of State is an organ of the Nigerian Government. Its functions include advising the executive on policy making.-Composition:The Council of State consists of the following persons:* President, who is the Chairman;...
  
  
• North Carolina Council of State
  North Carolina Council of State
  The Council of State is a group of popularly elected executive offices in North Carolina, USA. It is separate from the North Carolina Cabinet, which is appointed by the Governor of North Carolina, and makes up the rest of the executive leadership of the government...
  
  
• Norwegian Council of State
  Norwegian Council of State
  The Norwegian Council of State consists, according to the constitution of the prime minister and at least seven other ministers, the majority of which must belong to the state church. The current number of ministers is 20.-External links:*...
  
  
• Philippine Council of State
  Philippine Council of State
  The Philippine Council of State is an advisory body first established during the American colonial period by Governor-General Francis Burton Harrison. It was restored during the Commonwealth of the Philippines by the administration of Manuel L. Quezon...
  
  
• Portuguese Council of State - an advisory body to the President of the Republic
  President of Portugal
  Portugal has been a republic since 1910, and since that time the head of state has been the president, whose official title is President of the Portuguese Republic ....
  
   in the exercise of most of his/her reserve powers. It is summoned by the President whenever he wishes, and he is obliged to do so in case he dissolves the Assembly of the Republic
  Assembly of the Republic
  The Assembly of the Republic is the Portuguese parliament. It is located in a historical building in Lisbon, referred to as Palácio de São Bento, the site of an old Benedictine monastery...
  
   or in case he declares war or peace. He or she is not bound by it.
• Spanish Council of State
  Spanish Council of State
  The Spanish Council of State is the supreme consultative council of the Spanish Government. The current Council of State was established in 1980 according to the article 107 of the Constitution of 1978. The institution of the Council of State, understood as supreme consultative council of the...
  
   - this was the council for foreign affairs from 1522 to 1834; during 19th and 20th centuries and today is the supreme consultative council of the Government.
• Swiss Conseils d'État - In Switzerland
  Switzerland
  Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
  
   a Conseil d'État heads the cantonal government of each French-speaking canton.
• Thai Council of State - a department coming directly under the authority of the Prime Minister of Thailand
  Prime Minister of Thailand
  The Prime Minister of Thailand is the head of government of Thailand. The Prime Minister is also the chairman of the Cabinet of Thailand. The post has existed since the Revolution of 1932, when the country became a constitutional monarchy....
  
  , having the duty to render legal advices to state agencies and state enterprises as may be required. It formerly acted as the Supreme Administrative Court prior to the establishment of the Administrative Courts in 1999.
• Turkish Council of State
  Turkish Council of State
  The Turkish Council of State is the highest administrative court in the Republic of Turkey and is based in Ankara. Its role and tasks are prescribed by the Constitution of Turkey within the articles on the supreme courts....
  
  

Defunct

• Vietnamese Council of State
  Vietnamese Council of State
  The Vietnamese Council of State is the highest standing body of the National Assembly of Vietnam. Its members, who serve as a collective presidency for Vietnam, are elected from among National Assembly deputies. The Council of State is "responsible and accountable" to the National Assembly,...
  
   (1980-1992) - a body whose authority is equal to the modern President of Vietnam
  President of Vietnam
  The President of Vietnam is the head of state of Vietnam, although the functions of the President are often ceremonial...
  
   and Standing Committee of the National Assembly of Vietnam
• English Council of State
  English Council of State
  The English Council of State, later also known as the Protector's Privy Council, was first appointed by the Rump Parliament on 14 February 1649 after the execution of King Charles I....
  
   (1649–1660)
• Poland: Council of State (Kingdom of Poland)
  Council of State (Kingdom of Poland)
  Council of State of Congress Kingdom of Poland was an important state institution of Poland that existed in the 18th century. It was also known as Council of State of Kingdom of Poland ....
  
   (1815-1915) and Polish Council of State
  Polish Council of State
  The Council of State of the Republic of Poland was introduced by the 1947 Small Constitution. It consisted of the President of the Republic of Poland, the Marshal and Vicemarshals of Constituent Sejm, President of the Supreme Chamber of Control and could consist of other members...
  
   (1947–1989)
• Empire of Brazil Council of State (1822-1889)
• Supreme Council of State of Siam (1925-1932)
• Chilean Council of State
  Chilean Council of State
  The Chilean Council of State was a body set up by the junta of General Augusto Pinochet to produce a constitution in order to legitimise military rule. The constitution which it produced was approved in a 1980 plebiscite....
  
   (1976–1980)
• Israel: Provisional State Council
  Provisional State Council
  The Provisional State Council was the temporary legislature of Israel from shortly before independence until the election of the first Knesset in January 1949...
  
   (1948-1949)
• State Council of the German Democratic Republic (1960-1989)
• General Affairs State Council
  General Affairs State Council
  The General Affairs State Council was the de facto executive administrative branch of the government of the Japanese-controlled Empire of Manchukuo from 1934-1945.-Background:...
  
   of Manchukuo
  Manchukuo
  Manchukuo or Manshū-koku was a puppet state in Manchuria and eastern Inner Mongolia, governed under a form of constitutional monarchy. The region was the historical homeland of the Manchus, who founded the Qing Empire in China...
  
  .

See also

• Council of State Governments
  Council of State Governments
  The Council of State Governments is a nonpartisan non-profit organization in the United States serving the state governments. It serves state legislatures, state courts, and executive branch officials and agencies, and is the only multi-branch organization of state governments in the United...
  
  
• State Council
  State Council
  State Council may refer to:In politics:* State Council of the Soviet Union, was the chief administrative authority of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics...
  
  

The Council of State is a unique governmental body in a country or subdivision thereoff, though its nature may range from the formal name for the cabinet

Cabinet (government)

A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...

 to a non-executive advisory body surrounding a head of state. It is sometimes (arguably erroneously) regarded as the equivalent of a privy council

Privy council

A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on...

.

Modern

• Belgian Council of State
  Council of State (Belgium)
  Council of State , in Belgium, is an organ of the Belgian government: it is the Supreme Administrative Court of Belgium. Its functions include assisting the executive with legal advice and being the supreme court for administrative justice...
  
   - this is a judicial and advisory body. It assists the executive with legal advice and is the supreme court for administrative justice.
• British Council of State
  Counsellor of State
  In the United Kingdom, Counsellors of State are senior members of the British royal family to whom the Monarch, currently Elizabeth II, delegates certain state functions and powers when she is in another Commonwealth realm, abroad or unavailable for other reasons...
  
   - This body is the group of people who carry out the monarch's functions when the Queen is on a short-term absence, e.g., Commonwealth tours, short-term illness, etc.
• Colombian Council of State
  Council of State of Colombia
  The Council of State of ColombiaState Council- It is conformed by twenty-seven magistrates that exercise during eight years.- It regulates the conflicts between the matters and the State.Superior Council of Judicature...
  
  
• State Council of the People's Republic of China
  State Council of the People's Republic of China
  The State Council of the People's Republic of China , which is largely synonymous with the Central People's Government after 1954, is the chief administrative authority of the People's Republic of China. It is chaired by the Premier and includes the heads of each governmental department and agency...
  
   - The highest administrative body of the People's Republic of China
  People's Republic of China
  China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
  
  .
• Cuban Council of State
• Danish Council of State
  Danish Council of State
  The Council of State is the privy council of Denmark. The body of advisors to the Danish sovereign, the council is a formal institution, with largely ceremonial functions. Chaired by the sovereign, the council comprises all cabinet ministers and the Crown prince or hereditary princess when he or...
  
   - this body is similar to a privy council. Its role is largely ceremonial and includes granting the royal assent
  Royal Assent
  The granting of royal assent refers to the method by which any constitutional monarch formally approves and promulgates an act of his or her nation's parliament, thus making it a law...
  
   and approving King's activities as head of state. It consists of all cabinet ministers and the Crown Prince or Hereditary Princess when he or she is of age.
• Dutch Council of State
  Dutch Council of State
  In the Netherlands, the Council of State is a constitutionally established advisory body to the government which consists of members of the royal family and Crown-appointed members generally having political, commercial, diplomatic, or military experience...
  
   - this is an advisory body to the government which consists of members of the royal family and Crown appointed members generally having political, commercial, diplomatic, or military experience. The Council of State must be consulted by the Dutch cabinet
  Cabinet of the Netherlands
  The cabinet of the Netherlands is the main executive body of the Dutch government. The current cabinet of the Netherlands is the Rutte cabinet.-Composition and role:...
  
   on proposed legislation before a law is submitted to the parliament and also serves as a channel of appeal for citizens against decisions of the executive branch
  Executive (government)
  Executive branch of Government is the part of government that has sole authority and responsibility for the daily administration of the state bureaucracy. The division of power into separate branches of government is central to the idea of the separation of powers.In many countries, the term...
  
  .
• Egyptian Council of State
• Finnish Council of State - this is the Finnish cabinet. It consists of the prime minister and other ministers, and must enjoy the confidence of the Finnish parliament.
• French Council of State - this is a judicial and advisory body. It assists the executive with legal advice and is the supreme court for administrative justice.
• Ghanaian Council of State
  Council of State (Ghana)
  The Council of State in Ghana is a small body of prominent citizens, analogous to the Council of Elders in the traditional political system, which advises the President on national issues....
  
   - this body advises the President of Ghana
  Ghana
  Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
  
   in the exercise of most of his/her reserve powers.
• Greek Council of State
  Council of State (Greece)
  In Greece, the Council of State is the Supreme Administrative Court of Greece.-Organization:...
  
   - this is the supreme administrative court of Greece
  Greece
  Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
  
   and an administrative organ examining all presidential decrees before their issuing.
• Indian Council of State
  Rajya Sabha
  The Rajya Sabha or Council of States is the upper house of the Parliament of India. Rajya means "state," and Sabha means "assembly hall" in Sanskrit. Membership is limited to 250 members, 12 of whom are chosen by the President of India for their expertise in specific fields of art, literature,...
  
   or "Rajya Sabha" - is the upper house of the Parliament of India
  Parliament of India
  The Parliament of India is the supreme legislative body in India. Founded in 1919, the Parliament alone possesses legislative supremacy and thereby ultimate power over all political bodies in India. The Parliament of India comprises the President and the two Houses, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha...
  
  
• Irish Council of State
  Council of State (Ireland)
  The Council of State is a body established by the Constitution of Ireland to advise the President of Ireland in the exercise of many of his or her discretionary, reserve powers...
  
   - this body advises the President of Ireland
  President of Ireland
  The President of Ireland is the head of state of Ireland. The President is usually directly elected by the people for seven years, and can be elected for a maximum of two terms. The presidency is largely a ceremonial office, but the President does exercise certain limited powers with absolute...
  
   in the exercise of most of his/her reserve powers. In practice it meets only rarely. The President is not obliged to heed its advice but must consult the body in certain circumstances.
• Italian Council of State
  Italian Council of State
  The Consiglio di Stato is a legal-administrative consultative body and ensures the legality of public administration in Italy. The council has jurisdiction on acts of all administrative authorities, except when these authorities lack discretionary power, in which case the dispute is considered to...
  
   - a legal-administrative consultative body and ensures the legality of public administration.
• Liberian Council of State - interim ruling body in mid 1990s (see President of Liberia)
• Luxembourg Council of State
  Council of State of Luxembourg
  The Council of State is an institution in Luxembourg that advises the national legislature, the Chamber of Deputies. Until 1 January 1997, it was also the country's supreme administrative court, but this function was ceded to the newly created Administrative Tribunal and Administrative Court.The...
  
  
• Nigerian Council of State
  Council of State (Nigeria)
  The Nigerian Council of State is an organ of the Nigerian Government. Its functions include advising the executive on policy making.-Composition:The Council of State consists of the following persons:* President, who is the Chairman;...
  
  
• North Carolina Council of State
  North Carolina Council of State
  The Council of State is a group of popularly elected executive offices in North Carolina, USA. It is separate from the North Carolina Cabinet, which is appointed by the Governor of North Carolina, and makes up the rest of the executive leadership of the government...
  
  
• Norwegian Council of State
  Norwegian Council of State
  The Norwegian Council of State consists, according to the constitution of the prime minister and at least seven other ministers, the majority of which must belong to the state church. The current number of ministers is 20.-External links:*...
  
  
• Philippine Council of State
  Philippine Council of State
  The Philippine Council of State is an advisory body first established during the American colonial period by Governor-General Francis Burton Harrison. It was restored during the Commonwealth of the Philippines by the administration of Manuel L. Quezon...
  
  
• Portuguese Council of State - an advisory body to the President of the Republic
  President of Portugal
  Portugal has been a republic since 1910, and since that time the head of state has been the president, whose official title is President of the Portuguese Republic ....
  
   in the exercise of most of his/her reserve powers. It is summoned by the President whenever he wishes, and he is obliged to do so in case he dissolves the Assembly of the Republic
  Assembly of the Republic
  The Assembly of the Republic is the Portuguese parliament. It is located in a historical building in Lisbon, referred to as Palácio de São Bento, the site of an old Benedictine monastery...
  
   or in case he declares war or peace. He or she is not bound by it.
• Spanish Council of State
  Spanish Council of State
  The Spanish Council of State is the supreme consultative council of the Spanish Government. The current Council of State was established in 1980 according to the article 107 of the Constitution of 1978. The institution of the Council of State, understood as supreme consultative council of the...
  
   - this was the council for foreign affairs from 1522 to 1834; during 19th and 20th centuries and today is the supreme consultative council of the Government.
• Swiss Conseils d'État - In Switzerland
  Switzerland
  Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
  
   a Conseil d'État heads the cantonal government of each French-speaking canton.
• Thai Council of State - a department coming directly under the authority of the Prime Minister of Thailand
  Prime Minister of Thailand
  The Prime Minister of Thailand is the head of government of Thailand. The Prime Minister is also the chairman of the Cabinet of Thailand. The post has existed since the Revolution of 1932, when the country became a constitutional monarchy....
  
  , having the duty to render legal advices to state agencies and state enterprises as may be required. It formerly acted as the Supreme Administrative Court prior to the establishment of the Administrative Courts in 1999.
• Turkish Council of State
  Turkish Council of State
  The Turkish Council of State is the highest administrative court in the Republic of Turkey and is based in Ankara. Its role and tasks are prescribed by the Constitution of Turkey within the articles on the supreme courts....
  
  

Defunct

• Vietnamese Council of State
  Vietnamese Council of State
  The Vietnamese Council of State is the highest standing body of the National Assembly of Vietnam. Its members, who serve as a collective presidency for Vietnam, are elected from among National Assembly deputies. The Council of State is "responsible and accountable" to the National Assembly,...
  
   (1980-1992) - a body whose authority is equal to the modern President of Vietnam
  President of Vietnam
  The President of Vietnam is the head of state of Vietnam, although the functions of the President are often ceremonial...
  
   and Standing Committee of the National Assembly of Vietnam
• English Council of State
  English Council of State
  The English Council of State, later also known as the Protector's Privy Council, was first appointed by the Rump Parliament on 14 February 1649 after the execution of King Charles I....
  
   (1649–1660)
• Poland: Council of State (Kingdom of Poland)
  Council of State (Kingdom of Poland)
  Council of State of Congress Kingdom of Poland was an important state institution of Poland that existed in the 18th century. It was also known as Council of State of Kingdom of Poland ....
  
   (1815-1915) and Polish Council of State
  Polish Council of State
  The Council of State of the Republic of Poland was introduced by the 1947 Small Constitution. It consisted of the President of the Republic of Poland, the Marshal and Vicemarshals of Constituent Sejm, President of the Supreme Chamber of Control and could consist of other members...
  
   (1947–1989)
• Empire of Brazil Council of State (1822-1889)
• Supreme Council of State of Siam (1925-1932)
• Chilean Council of State
  Chilean Council of State
  The Chilean Council of State was a body set up by the junta of General Augusto Pinochet to produce a constitution in order to legitimise military rule. The constitution which it produced was approved in a 1980 plebiscite....
  
   (1976–1980)
• Israel: Provisional State Council
  Provisional State Council
  The Provisional State Council was the temporary legislature of Israel from shortly before independence until the election of the first Knesset in January 1949...
  
   (1948-1949)
• State Council of the German Democratic Republic (1960-1989)
• General Affairs State Council
  General Affairs State Council
  The General Affairs State Council was the de facto executive administrative branch of the government of the Japanese-controlled Empire of Manchukuo from 1934-1945.-Background:...
  
   of Manchukuo
  Manchukuo
  Manchukuo or Manshū-koku was a puppet state in Manchuria and eastern Inner Mongolia, governed under a form of constitutional monarchy. The region was the historical homeland of the Manchus, who founded the Qing Empire in China...
  
  .

See also

• Council of State Governments
  Council of State Governments
  The Council of State Governments is a nonpartisan non-profit organization in the United States serving the state governments. It serves state legislatures, state courts, and executive branch officials and agencies, and is the only multi-branch organization of state governments in the United...
  
  
• State Council
  State Council
  State Council may refer to:In politics:* State Council of the Soviet Union, was the chief administrative authority of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics...
  
  

The Council of State is a unique governmental body in a country or subdivision thereoff, though its nature may range from the formal name for the cabinet

Cabinet (government)

A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...

 to a non-executive advisory body surrounding a head of state. It is sometimes (arguably erroneously) regarded as the equivalent of a privy council

Privy council

A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on...

.

Modern

• Belgian Council of State
  Council of State (Belgium)
  Council of State , in Belgium, is an organ of the Belgian government: it is the Supreme Administrative Court of Belgium. Its functions include assisting the executive with legal advice and being the supreme court for administrative justice...
  
   - this is a judicial and advisory body. It assists the executive with legal advice and is the supreme court for administrative justice.
• British Council of State
  Counsellor of State
  In the United Kingdom, Counsellors of State are senior members of the British royal family to whom the Monarch, currently Elizabeth II, delegates certain state functions and powers when she is in another Commonwealth realm, abroad or unavailable for other reasons...
  
   - This body is the group of people who carry out the monarch's functions when the Queen is on a short-term absence, e.g., Commonwealth tours, short-term illness, etc.
• Colombian Council of State
  Council of State of Colombia
  The Council of State of ColombiaState Council- It is conformed by twenty-seven magistrates that exercise during eight years.- It regulates the conflicts between the matters and the State.Superior Council of Judicature...
  
  
• State Council of the People's Republic of China
  State Council of the People's Republic of China
  The State Council of the People's Republic of China , which is largely synonymous with the Central People's Government after 1954, is the chief administrative authority of the People's Republic of China. It is chaired by the Premier and includes the heads of each governmental department and agency...
  
   - The highest administrative body of the People's Republic of China
  People's Republic of China
  China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
  
  .
• Cuban Council of State
• Danish Council of State
  Danish Council of State
  The Council of State is the privy council of Denmark. The body of advisors to the Danish sovereign, the council is a formal institution, with largely ceremonial functions. Chaired by the sovereign, the council comprises all cabinet ministers and the Crown prince or hereditary princess when he or...
  
   - this body is similar to a privy council. Its role is largely ceremonial and includes granting the royal assent
  Royal Assent
  The granting of royal assent refers to the method by which any constitutional monarch formally approves and promulgates an act of his or her nation's parliament, thus making it a law...
  
   and approving King's activities as head of state. It consists of all cabinet ministers and the Crown Prince or Hereditary Princess when he or she is of age.
• Dutch Council of State
  Dutch Council of State
  In the Netherlands, the Council of State is a constitutionally established advisory body to the government which consists of members of the royal family and Crown-appointed members generally having political, commercial, diplomatic, or military experience...
  
   - this is an advisory body to the government which consists of members of the royal family and Crown appointed members generally having political, commercial, diplomatic, or military experience. The Council of State must be consulted by the Dutch cabinet
  Cabinet of the Netherlands
  The cabinet of the Netherlands is the main executive body of the Dutch government. The current cabinet of the Netherlands is the Rutte cabinet.-Composition and role:...
  
   on proposed legislation before a law is submitted to the parliament and also serves as a channel of appeal for citizens against decisions of the executive branch
  Executive (government)
  Executive branch of Government is the part of government that has sole authority and responsibility for the daily administration of the state bureaucracy. The division of power into separate branches of government is central to the idea of the separation of powers.In many countries, the term...
  
  .
• Egyptian Council of State
• Finnish Council of State - this is the Finnish cabinet. It consists of the prime minister and other ministers, and must enjoy the confidence of the Finnish parliament.
• French Council of State - this is a judicial and advisory body. It assists the executive with legal advice and is the supreme court for administrative justice.
• Ghanaian Council of State
  Council of State (Ghana)
  The Council of State in Ghana is a small body of prominent citizens, analogous to the Council of Elders in the traditional political system, which advises the President on national issues....
  
   - this body advises the President of Ghana
  Ghana
  Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
  
   in the exercise of most of his/her reserve powers.
• Greek Council of State
  Council of State (Greece)
  In Greece, the Council of State is the Supreme Administrative Court of Greece.-Organization:...
  
   - this is the supreme administrative court of Greece
  Greece
  Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
  
   and an administrative organ examining all presidential decrees before their issuing.
• Indian Council of State
  Rajya Sabha
  The Rajya Sabha or Council of States is the upper house of the Parliament of India. Rajya means "state," and Sabha means "assembly hall" in Sanskrit. Membership is limited to 250 members, 12 of whom are chosen by the President of India for their expertise in specific fields of art, literature,...
  
   or "Rajya Sabha" - is the upper house of the Parliament of India
  Parliament of India
  The Parliament of India is the supreme legislative body in India. Founded in 1919, the Parliament alone possesses legislative supremacy and thereby ultimate power over all political bodies in India. The Parliament of India comprises the President and the two Houses, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha...
  
  
• Irish Council of State
  Council of State (Ireland)
  The Council of State is a body established by the Constitution of Ireland to advise the President of Ireland in the exercise of many of his or her discretionary, reserve powers...
  
   - this body advises the President of Ireland
  President of Ireland
  The President of Ireland is the head of state of Ireland. The President is usually directly elected by the people for seven years, and can be elected for a maximum of two terms. The presidency is largely a ceremonial office, but the President does exercise certain limited powers with absolute...
  
   in the exercise of most of his/her reserve powers. In practice it meets only rarely. The President is not obliged to heed its advice but must consult the body in certain circumstances.
• Italian Council of State
  Italian Council of State
  The Consiglio di Stato is a legal-administrative consultative body and ensures the legality of public administration in Italy. The council has jurisdiction on acts of all administrative authorities, except when these authorities lack discretionary power, in which case the dispute is considered to...
  
   - a legal-administrative consultative body and ensures the legality of public administration.
• Liberian Council of State - interim ruling body in mid 1990s (see President of Liberia)
• Luxembourg Council of State
  Council of State of Luxembourg
  The Council of State is an institution in Luxembourg that advises the national legislature, the Chamber of Deputies. Until 1 January 1997, it was also the country's supreme administrative court, but this function was ceded to the newly created Administrative Tribunal and Administrative Court.The...
  
  
• Nigerian Council of State
  Council of State (Nigeria)
  The Nigerian Council of State is an organ of the Nigerian Government. Its functions include advising the executive on policy making.-Composition:The Council of State consists of the following persons:* President, who is the Chairman;...
  
  
• North Carolina Council of State
  North Carolina Council of State
  The Council of State is a group of popularly elected executive offices in North Carolina, USA. It is separate from the North Carolina Cabinet, which is appointed by the Governor of North Carolina, and makes up the rest of the executive leadership of the government...
  
  
• Norwegian Council of State
  Norwegian Council of State
  The Norwegian Council of State consists, according to the constitution of the prime minister and at least seven other ministers, the majority of which must belong to the state church. The current number of ministers is 20.-External links:*...
  
  
• Philippine Council of State
  Philippine Council of State
  The Philippine Council of State is an advisory body first established during the American colonial period by Governor-General Francis Burton Harrison. It was restored during the Commonwealth of the Philippines by the administration of Manuel L. Quezon...
  
  
• Portuguese Council of State - an advisory body to the President of the Republic
  President of Portugal
  Portugal has been a republic since 1910, and since that time the head of state has been the president, whose official title is President of the Portuguese Republic ....
  
   in the exercise of most of his/her reserve powers. It is summoned by the President whenever he wishes, and he is obliged to do so in case he dissolves the Assembly of the Republic
  Assembly of the Republic
  The Assembly of the Republic is the Portuguese parliament. It is located in a historical building in Lisbon, referred to as Palácio de São Bento, the site of an old Benedictine monastery...
  
   or in case he declares war or peace. He or she is not bound by it.
• Spanish Council of State
  Spanish Council of State
  The Spanish Council of State is the supreme consultative council of the Spanish Government. The current Council of State was established in 1980 according to the article 107 of the Constitution of 1978. The institution of the Council of State, understood as supreme consultative council of the...
  
   - this was the council for foreign affairs from 1522 to 1834; during 19th and 20th centuries and today is the supreme consultative council of the Government.
• Swiss Conseils d'État - In Switzerland
  Switzerland
  Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
  
   a Conseil d'État heads the cantonal government of each French-speaking canton.
• Thai Council of State - a department coming directly under the authority of the Prime Minister of Thailand
  Prime Minister of Thailand
  The Prime Minister of Thailand is the head of government of Thailand. The Prime Minister is also the chairman of the Cabinet of Thailand. The post has existed since the Revolution of 1932, when the country became a constitutional monarchy....
  
  , having the duty to render legal advices to state agencies and state enterprises as may be required. It formerly acted as the Supreme Administrative Court prior to the establishment of the Administrative Courts in 1999.
• Turkish Council of State
  Turkish Council of State
  The Turkish Council of State is the highest administrative court in the Republic of Turkey and is based in Ankara. Its role and tasks are prescribed by the Constitution of Turkey within the articles on the supreme courts....
  
  

Defunct

• Vietnamese Council of State
  Vietnamese Council of State
  The Vietnamese Council of State is the highest standing body of the National Assembly of Vietnam. Its members, who serve as a collective presidency for Vietnam, are elected from among National Assembly deputies. The Council of State is "responsible and accountable" to the National Assembly,...
  
   (1980-1992) - a body whose authority is equal to the modern President of Vietnam
  President of Vietnam
  The President of Vietnam is the head of state of Vietnam, although the functions of the President are often ceremonial...
  
   and Standing Committee of the National Assembly of Vietnam
• English Council of State
  English Council of State
  The English Council of State, later also known as the Protector's Privy Council, was first appointed by the Rump Parliament on 14 February 1649 after the execution of King Charles I....
  
   (1649–1660)
• Poland: Council of State (Kingdom of Poland)
  Council of State (Kingdom of Poland)
  Council of State of Congress Kingdom of Poland was an important state institution of Poland that existed in the 18th century. It was also known as Council of State of Kingdom of Poland ....
  
   (1815-1915) and Polish Council of State
  Polish Council of State
  The Council of State of the Republic of Poland was introduced by the 1947 Small Constitution. It consisted of the President of the Republic of Poland, the Marshal and Vicemarshals of Constituent Sejm, President of the Supreme Chamber of Control and could consist of other members...
  
   (1947–1989)
• Empire of Brazil Council of State (1822-1889)
• Supreme Council of State of Siam (1925-1932)
• Chilean Council of State
  Chilean Council of State
  The Chilean Council of State was a body set up by the junta of General Augusto Pinochet to produce a constitution in order to legitimise military rule. The constitution which it produced was approved in a 1980 plebiscite....
  
   (1976–1980)
• Israel: Provisional State Council
  Provisional State Council
  The Provisional State Council was the temporary legislature of Israel from shortly before independence until the election of the first Knesset in January 1949...
  
   (1948-1949)
• State Council of the German Democratic Republic (1960-1989)
• General Affairs State Council
  General Affairs State Council
  The General Affairs State Council was the de facto executive administrative branch of the government of the Japanese-controlled Empire of Manchukuo from 1934-1945.-Background:...
  
   of Manchukuo
  Manchukuo
  Manchukuo or Manshū-koku was a puppet state in Manchuria and eastern Inner Mongolia, governed under a form of constitutional monarchy. The region was the historical homeland of the Manchus, who founded the Qing Empire in China...
  
  .

See also

• Council of State Governments
  Council of State Governments
  The Council of State Governments is a nonpartisan non-profit organization in the United States serving the state governments. It serves state legislatures, state courts, and executive branch officials and agencies, and is the only multi-branch organization of state governments in the United...
  
  
• State Council
  State Council
  State Council may refer to:In politics:* State Council of the Soviet Union, was the chief administrative authority of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics...