Minister (government)
Encyclopedia
A minister is a politician
who holds significant public office in a national or regional government
. Senior ministers are members of the cabinet
.
In some countries and territories, including Hong Kong
, the Philippines
, the UK
, and the US
, holders of some posts equivalent to ministries are called secretaries of state
, sometimes referred to simply as secretaries (e.g., the Home Secretary
). The term minister is also used in diplomacy for second-level diplomats (heads of legation
s).
, deriving from the Old French
word ministre, originally minister in Latin
, meaning 'servant'.
systems of government, ministers are selected from the elected legislature
. Normally the leader of the majority party becomes the prime minister
and selects the other ministers from members of the parliament who belong to the party or parties that form the government. These ministers continue to represent their constituency in parliament while being part of the government. Occasionally, a person from the outside may be appointed minister, usually in order to bring special skills to the government. Such a person would not be part of the parliament while serving as minister, nor would he/she necessarily be a member of the party/parties in government.
In some presidential systems of government, such as the United States
, Philippines
, and Mexico
, ministers are formally titled secretaries because the term minister was considered to carry royalist connotations considered inappropriate in a republic. They are appointed by the president
, and are not members of the legislature; a legislator chosen to become a state secretary resigns from the legislature.
Some ministers may hold multiple portfolios and lead several ministries simultaneously. A cabinet minister may not be in charge of any ministry, and is then known as a "minister without portfolio
".
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
who holds significant public office in a national or regional government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
. Senior ministers are members of 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 :...
.
In some countries and territories, including Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, and the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, holders of some posts equivalent to ministries are called secretaries of state
Secretary of State
Secretary of State or State Secretary is a commonly used title for a senior or mid-level post in governments around the world. The role varies between countries, and in some cases there are multiple Secretaries of State in the Government....
, sometimes referred to simply as secretaries (e.g., the Home Secretary
Home Secretary
The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the Home Office of the United Kingdom, and one of the country's four Great Offices of State...
). The term minister is also used in diplomacy for second-level diplomats (heads of legation
Legation
A legation was the term used in diplomacy to denote a diplomatic representative office lower than an embassy. Where an embassy was headed by an Ambassador, a legation was headed by a Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary....
s).
Etymology
The term minister comes from Middle EnglishMiddle English
Middle English is the stage in the history of the English language during the High and Late Middle Ages, or roughly during the four centuries between the late 11th and the late 15th century....
, deriving from the Old French
Old French
Old French was the Romance dialect continuum spoken in territories that span roughly the northern half of modern France and parts of modern Belgium and Switzerland from the 9th century to the 14th century...
word ministre, originally minister in Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
, meaning 'servant'.
Selection
In most parliamentary and semi-presidentialSemi-presidential system
The semi-presidential system is a system of government in which a president and a prime minister are both active participants in the day-to-day administration of the state...
systems of government, ministers are selected from the elected legislature
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
. Normally the leader of the majority party becomes the prime minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
and selects the other ministers from members of the parliament who belong to the party or parties that form the government. These ministers continue to represent their constituency in parliament while being part of the government. Occasionally, a person from the outside may be appointed minister, usually in order to bring special skills to the government. Such a person would not be part of the parliament while serving as minister, nor would he/she necessarily be a member of the party/parties in government.
In some presidential systems of government, such as the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, and Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, ministers are formally titled secretaries because the term minister was considered to carry royalist connotations considered inappropriate in a republic. They are appointed by the president
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
, and are not members of the legislature; a legislator chosen to become a state secretary resigns from the legislature.
Types of ministers
- Various countries form ministries as CabinetCabinet (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 :...
s. Compare List of cabinets. Other cabinets are usually included in Politics of ..-articles - Lists of incumbents groups lists of ministers by country
- Specific ministers:
- Prime ministerPrime ministerA prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
- Finance ministerFinance ministerThe finance minister is a cabinet position in a government.A minister of finance has many different jobs in a government. He or she helps form the government budget, stimulate the economy, and control finances...
- Foreign ministerForeign ministerA Minister of Foreign Affairs, or foreign minister, is a cabinet minister who helps form the foreign policy of a sovereign state. The foreign minister is often regarded as the most senior ministerial position below that of the head of government . It is often granted to the deputy prime minister in...
- Interior ministerInterior ministerAn interior ministry is a government ministry typically responsible for policing, national security, and immigration matters. The ministry is often headed by a minister of the interior or minister of home affairs...
- Defence ministerDefence ministerA defence minister is a person in a cabinet position in charge of a Ministry of Defence, which regulates the armed forces in some sovereign nations...
- Health ministerHealth ministerA health minister is the member of a country's government typically responsible for protecting and promoting public health and providing welfare and other social security services....
- Education ministerEducation ministerAn education minister is a position in the governments of some countries responsible for dealing with educational matters.-Country-related articles and lists:Minister of Education may refer to:...
- Justice ministerJustice MinisterA justice ministry is a ministry or other government agency charged with justice. The ministry is often headed by a minister for justice or secretary of justice or secretary for justice; sometimes the head of a department of justice is entitled attorney general.Specific duties may relate to...
- Business minister
- Information ministerInformation ministerAn information minister is a position in the governments of some countries responsible for dealing with information matters, and is often linked with censorship and propaganda...
- Environment minister
- Culture minister
- Agriculture minister
- Transport minister
- Communication minister
- Tourism minister
- Energy ministerEnergy ministerAn energy minister is a position in many governments responsible for energy production and regulation, developing governmental energy policy, scientific research, and natural resources conservation...
- Inland revenue minister
- Public works minister
- Sports minister
- Labour minister
- Industry minister
- Prime minister
Some ministers may hold multiple portfolios and lead several ministries simultaneously. A cabinet minister may not be in charge of any ministry, and is then known as a "minister without portfolio
Minister without Portfolio
A minister without portfolio is either a government minister with no specific responsibilities or a minister that does not head a particular ministry...
".
See also
- Minister of the CrownMinister of the CrownMinister of the Crown is the formal constitutional term used in the Commonwealth realms to describe a minister to the reigning sovereign. The term indicates that the minister serves at His/Her Majesty's pleasure, and advises the monarch, or viceroy, on how to exercise the Crown prerogatives...
- Ministry (government department)Ministry (government department)A ministry is a specialised organisation responsible for a sector of government public administration, sometimes led by a minister or a senior public servant, that can have responsibility for one or more departments, agencies, bureaus, commissions or other smaller executive, advisory, managerial or...
- Ministry (collective executive)Ministry (collective executive)A ministry refers to a collective body of government ministers headed by a prime minister or premier. Although the term "cabinet" can in some circumstances be a synonym, a ministry can be a broader concept which might include office-holders that do not participate in cabinet meetings...