Minister of State

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Minister of State is a title borne by politicians or officials in certain countries governed under a parliamentary system. In some countries a "minister of state" is a junior minister, who is assigned to assist a specific cabinet minister. In others countries a "minister of state" is a holder of a more senior position, such as a cabinet minister or even a head of government.

Contents

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Government ranks

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in Anglo-Saxon and other Commonwealth countries

  • United Kingdom: A Minister of State is a member of HM's Government, junior only to a Secretary of State but senior to a Parliamentary Under Secretary of State. Ministers of State are responsible to their Secretaries of State. This position has only existed since 1945 - previously, each parliamentary under-secretary was directly beneath a secretary of state.
  • India: A Minister of State is a junior Minister in the Federal or Central Government who may assist a cabinet minister or have independent charge of a ministry. A recently passed law restricts the number of ministers of state in the federal government- see a current listing of Indian ministers- Indian Cabinet
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in continental Europe

  • France: Minister of State (Ministre d'État in French) is a honorific title bestowed during his nomination on a minister of particular importance. It is not to be mistaken for a Secretary of State (Secrétaire d'État), a junior minister assisting a minister and who may only attend cabinet meeting if the topic discussed touches his responsibilities.
  • Germany: Minister of State (Staatsminister in German) is the title given to a parliamentary secretary of state (a member of parliament serving as a political aide to a cabinet minister) serving in the Foreign Office or the Federal Chancellor's Office. Accordingly, Staatsminister ranks between a normal Secretary of State and a cabinet minister.
  • Spain: During the time serving Leopoldo Calvo Sotelo as Prime Minister of Spain (1981-1982), Ministers of State were created which held a more distinct position within the government. However, this initiative did not last since his succesors did not follow this path.
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Elsewhere

  • In Japan, Minister of State is the title borne by all members of the Japanese Cabinet.
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Other use

In the Netherlands (Minister van Staat in Dutch) and Belgium (also Ministre d'État in French), Minister of State is a title of honour awarded formally by the Monarch, but on the initiative of the government. It is given on a personal basis, usually for exceptional merits, generally to politicians often former cabinet members or party leaders, after a succesful career. Ministers of State advise the Sovereign in delicate situations, with moral authority but without formal competence.

  • In Belgium they are entitled to a seat, alongside the members of the government in power, in the crown council; to date the crown council has been convened on only five occasions, the first being in 1870 for the Franco-Prussian War, and the latest in 1960 in connection with the independence of the Belgian Congo. Apart from that, the only priviliges of being a "minister of state" are protocollary precedence on state occasions and a ministerial type car immatriculation. De facto, appointments tend to respect the national obsession of balances between the Flemish and French-speaking communities as well as between the 'ministeriable' political families: mainly Christian-democrats, Socialists, Liberals, also (moderate) Nationalists, occasionally an Ecologist). Other former careers include those of Étienne Davignon (European Commissioner) and Luc Coene (prime-ministerial Kabinetschef, circa Chief of staff). In January 2006 the membership reached 51 with Johan Vande Lanotte, shortly after he laid down his portfolio and title of Vice-Prime Minister to head the Flemish Socialist SP.A party.
  • In the Netherlands the crown council can also be asked for advice by others on constitutional issues.
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Sources and references

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  • De Standaard (leading Flemish neswpaper, in Dutch), e.g. January 31, 2006


Template:Politics-stubde:Staatsminister fr:Ministre d'État nl:Minister van Staat (Frankrijk)

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