Chief Minister
Encyclopedia
A Chief Minister is the elected head of government
of a sub-national (e.g. constituent federal) state, provinces of Sri Lanka
, Pakistan
, notably a state (and sometimes a union territory
) of India
, a territory of Australia
or a British Overseas Territory that has attained self-government. It is also used as the English version of the title given to the heads of governments of the Malay states without a monarchy.
The title is also used in the Crown dependencies of the Isle of Man
(since 1986), in Guernsey
(since 2004), and in Jersey
(since 2005).
In Malaysia, it is used to refer to the heads of government, called in their Malay language
term Ketua Menteri (literally Chief Minister), of the Malaysian states without a sultan, i.e., Malacca
, Penang
, Sabah
and Sarawak
, while the Malay language term Menteri Besar
(literally Great Minister) is used in other states with a monarch.
By analogy the term is often applied to various other high ministerial offices, e.g. in a princely state
before or during the British raj
.
Head of government
Head of government is the chief officer of the executive branch of a government, often presiding over a cabinet. In a parliamentary system, the head of government is often styled prime minister, chief minister, premier, etc...
of a sub-national (e.g. constituent federal) state, provinces of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, notably a state (and sometimes a union territory
Union Territory
A Union Territory is a sub-national administrative division of India, in the federal framework of governance. Unlike the states of India, which have their own elected governments, union territories are ruled directly by the federal government; the President of India appoints an Administrator or...
) of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, a territory of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
or a British Overseas Territory that has attained self-government. It is also used as the English version of the title given to the heads of governments of the Malay states without a monarchy.
The title is also used in the Crown dependencies of the Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
(since 1986), in Guernsey
Guernsey
Guernsey, officially the Bailiwick of Guernsey is a British Crown dependency in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy.The Bailiwick, as a governing entity, embraces not only all 10 parishes on the Island of Guernsey, but also the islands of Herm, Jethou, Burhou, and Lihou and their islet...
(since 2004), and in Jersey
Jersey
Jersey, officially the Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. As well as the island of Jersey itself, the bailiwick includes two groups of small islands that are no longer permanently inhabited, the Minquiers and Écréhous, and the Pierres de Lecq and...
(since 2005).
In Malaysia, it is used to refer to the heads of government, called in their Malay language
Malay language
Malay is a major language of the Austronesian family. It is the official language of Malaysia , Indonesia , Brunei and Singapore...
term Ketua Menteri (literally Chief Minister), of the Malaysian states without a sultan, i.e., Malacca
Malacca
Malacca , dubbed The Historic State or Negeri Bersejarah among locals) is the third smallest Malaysian state, after Perlis and Penang. It is located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, on the Straits of Malacca. It borders Negeri Sembilan to the north and the state of Johor to the south...
, Penang
Penang
Penang is a state in Malaysia and the name of its constituent island, located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia by the Strait of Malacca. It is bordered by Kedah in the north and east, and Perak in the south. Penang is the second smallest Malaysian state in area after Perlis, and the...
, Sabah
Sabah
Sabah is one of 13 member states of Malaysia. It is located on the northern portion of the island of Borneo. It is the second largest state in the country after Sarawak, which it borders on its southwest. It also shares a border with the province of East Kalimantan of Indonesia in the south...
and Sarawak
Sarawak
Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. Known as Bumi Kenyalang , Sarawak is situated on the north-west of the island. It is the largest state in Malaysia followed by Sabah, the second largest state located to the North- East.The administrative capital is Kuching, which...
, while the Malay language term Menteri Besar
Menteri Besar
The Menteri Besar is the chief executive of the state government for states in Malaysia with hereditary rulers. For states without a monarch, the title Chief Minister is used...
(literally Great Minister) is used in other states with a monarch.
By analogy the term is often applied to various other high ministerial offices, e.g. in a princely state
Princely state
A Princely State was a nominally sovereign entitity of British rule in India that was not directly governed by the British, but rather by an Indian ruler under a form of indirect rule such as suzerainty or paramountcy.-British relationship with the Princely States:India under the British Raj ...
before or during the British raj
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
.
Deputy chief minister
Deputy chief minister is an optional post in some States of India and is Second to the Chief Minister. In general practice the position is given to a member of the coalition party when the government is formed with the support of various parties. It can also be awarded to a member of the majority party who has substantial support of the legislature compared to the Chief Minister.Chief Ministers around the world
- Chief Minister of AnguillaChief Minister of Anguilla-List of Chief Ministers of Anguilla:...
- Chief Minister of British Isles
- Chief Minister of the Australian Capital TerritoryChief Minister of the Australian Capital TerritoryThe Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory is the head of government of the Australian Capital Territory. The leader of party with the largest representation of seats in the unicameral Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly usually takes on the role...
- Chief Minister of the Northern TerritoryChief Minister of the Northern TerritoryThe Chief Minister of the Northern Territory is appointed by the Administrator, who in normal circumstances will appoint the head of whatever party holds the majority of seats in the legislature of the territory...
of Australia - Chief Minister of Norfolk Island (Australia)
- Chief Minister of GuernseyChief Minister of GuernseyThe Chief Minister of Guernsey chairs the Policy Council, which consists of the heads of each of the ten government departments of the States of Guernsey. Guernsey operates a system of consensus, committees-based government...
- Chief Minister of GibraltarChief Minister of GibraltarThe Chief Minister of Gibraltar is the leader of the largest party elected to the Gibraltar Parliament, and is formally appointed by the Governor of Gibraltar, representative of the British Crown.-List of Chief Ministers:...
- Chief Minister (India)Chief Minister (India)A Chief Minister is the elected head of government of a state of India. The chief minister is the head of the state Cabinet, and the leader of the state Legislature. By the Constitution of India, the chief minister is appointed by the Governor of the state....
- Chief Minister of JerseyChief Minister of JerseyThe Chief Minister of Jersey is the head of government of Jersey. The head of government is not directly elected by the people but rather by the legislature ....
- Chief Minister of the Isle of ManChief Minister of the Isle of ManThe Chief Minister is the executive head of the Isle of Man Government.The office derives from that of Chairman of the Executive Council. Before 1980 the Executive Council was chaired by the Lieutenant Governor, but thereafter the chairman was elected by Tynwald, the parliament of the Isle of Man...
- Chief Minister of MontserratChief Minister of MontserratThe Chief Minister of Montserrat is the head of government of Montserrat, an island in the Caribbean that is an overseas territory of the United Kingdom, appointed by the Governor of Montserrat on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II, Montserrat's head of state. The current Chief Minister of Montserrat is...
- Chief Ministers of Malaysia
- Chief Minister of SingaporeChief Minister of SingaporeThe Chief Minister of the state of Singapore was the head of government of the State of Singapore until its abolition on 3 June 1959.-List of Chief Ministers:...
- Chief Ministers of Sri Lanka
- Chief Ministers of Pakistan