Minister of State
Encyclopedia
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 other countries a "minister of state" is a holder of a more senior position, such as a cabinet minister or even a head of government
.
, often a formal distinction within it, or even its chief.
, it is a junior rank, often subordinated to a cabinet member.
, Karen State (Kayin), Kayah State
(Karenni), Kachin State
and Shan state
(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, for life rather than for a specified period. The title is granted for exceptional merits, generally to senior politicians
at the end of their party career. Ministers of state are often former cabinet members or party leaders. 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 privileges 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 almost obsessional 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, roughly 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
. After formateur Yves Leterme
returned his commission in August 2007, king Albert II consulted 13 Ministers of State individually, without convening the crown council as such.
The first Minister of State in New Zealand was Keith Holyoake
, a former Prime Minister. Other prominent people to have held the office include Jim Bolger
and Robin Gray (a former Prime Minister and a former Speaker
, respectively). Examples of people who held the office simply in order that they might be appointed as associate ministers include Mita Ririnui
, Damien O'Connor
, and Dover Samuels
.
during the Ancien Régime and Bourbon Restoration
, the title "Ministre d'État" had a specific designation. The title first appeared under Louis XIII
. The "ministres d'État", appointed by lettres patentes
, attended meetings of the Conseil du Roi
(which would later become the Conseil d'État). From 1661 on — at the start of Louis XIV
's "personal reign" — the king called whomever he wished to his Council; invitations were only good for one session and needed to be renewed as long as the individual retained the king's confidence. However, having attended one session of the Council gave the person the right to be called "ministre d'État" for life, and also gave him the right to an annual life pension of roughly 20,000 livres
. There were few "ministres d'État" at Council meetings (between three or four during the reign of Louis XIV); they also attended the "Conseil des Dépêches" (the "Counsel of Messages", concerning notices and administrative reports from the provinces).
Suppressed during the French Revolution
, the title "ministre d'État" reappeared during the Bourbon Restoration
as essentially an honorary title given (not systematically) to Ministers after their demission or their departure from office; refusal on behalf of the King to award this title to a demissioned Minister was seen as an affront.
Egypt
, were styled Ministers of State in the Middle East.
Parliamentary system
A parliamentary system is a system of government in which the ministers of the executive branch get their democratic legitimacy from the legislature and are accountable to that body, such that the executive and legislative branches are intertwined....
. In some countries a "minister of state" is a junior minister
Minister (government)
A minister is a politician who holds significant public office in a national or regional government. Senior ministers are members of the cabinet....
, who is assigned to assist a specific 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 :...
minister. In other countries a "minister of state" is a holder of a more senior position, such as a cabinet minister or even a head of government
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...
.
High government ranks
In several national traditions, the title is reserved for government members of Cabinet rankCabinet rank
A person who is of Cabinet rank holds a ministerial position in a government. They sit in Cabinet and form the highest body of leadership in a government.-United Kingdom:...
, often a formal distinction within it, or even its chief.
- In Australia s. 64 of the Commonwealth Constitution empowers the Governor-General, as the Queen's representative, to appoint Ministers of State 'to administer such departments of State of the Commonwealth as the Governor-General in Council may establish'. Junior Ministers may not be responsible for an entire department, but may serve under a senior Minister who is so responsible, with the junior Minister administering a particular area of policy. For example the Minister for Sport is responsible for sport within the Department of Health and Ageing, which is in turn administered by the Minister for Health and Ageing.
- In Brazil, Minister of State is the title borne by all members of the Federal CabinetCabinet of BrazilThe Cabinet of Brazil is composed of the Ministers of State and senior advisors of the executive branch of the federal government of Brazil. Cabinet officers are appointed and dismissed by the President. There are currently twenty-four Ministries of State and fourteen other cabinet-level...
. - In Kenya, a Minister of State generically refers to a more senior Minister by virtue of the revenue power, or security implications of their Ministry. For instance, powerful Ministries housed under the Office of the President, Office of the Vice-President and Office of the Prime Minister are titled as "Ministries of State for". Actual examples include Ministry of State for Internal Security and Provincial Administration; Ministry of State for Immigration; and Ministry of State for Public Service.
- France: Under the Fifth RepublicFrench Fifth RepublicThe Fifth Republic is the fifth and current republican constitution of France, introduced on 4 October 1958. The Fifth Republic emerged from the collapse of the French Fourth Republic, replacing the prior parliamentary government with a semi-presidential system...
, Minister of State (Ministre d'État in French) is an honorific title bestowed during his nomination on a Minister. Ministres d'État, in the protocol, rank after the Prime MinisterPrime Minister of FranceThe Prime Minister of France in the Fifth Republic is the head of government and of the Council of Ministers of France. The head of state is the President of the French Republic...
and before the other Ministers but enjoy no other specific prerogatives. Initially, the title of Ministres d'État didn't explicitly include a portfolio (a practice common under previous regimes), although in time both the title and a specific portfolio have since normally been conferred together. As under previous regimes, a series of Ministres d'État in the same cabinet may also reflect a balance between the different political trends in the ruling party (or within the ruling coalition). A Ministre d'État is not to be confused with 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. Former Ministres d'État include current French President Nicolas SarkozyNicolas SarkozyNicolas Sarkozy is the 23rd and current President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra. He assumed the office on 16 May 2007 after defeating the Socialist Party candidate Ségolène Royal 10 days earlier....
. , there is only one Ministre d'État, Minister of Foreign and European AffairsMinister of Foreign Affairs (France)Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs ), is France's foreign affairs ministry, with the headquarters located on the Quai d'Orsay in Paris close to the National Assembly of France. The Minister of Foreign and European Affairs in the government of France is the cabinet minister responsible for...
Alain JuppeAlain JuppéAlain Marie Juppé is a French politician currently serving as the Minister of Foreign Affairs. He also served as Prime Minister of France from 1995 to 1997 under President Jacques Chirac and the Minister of Defence and Veterans Affairs from 2010 to 2011...
. - In Japan, Minister of State is the title borne by all members of the Japanese CabinetCabinet of JapanThe of Japan is the executive branch of the government of Japan. It consists of the Prime Minister and up to fourteen other members, called Ministers of State. The Prime Minister is designated by the Diet, and the remaining ministers are appointed and dismissed by the Prime Minister...
. - In Luxembourg, Minister of State is an additional title borne by the Prime Minister. Unlike the title 'Prime Minister' , which was instituted only in 1989, that of 'Minister of State' has been held by the head of government since 1848.
- Monaco: The Minister of State of MonacoMinister of State (Monaco)The Minister of State is the head of the government of Monaco, though he is appointed by and subordinate to the Prince or Princess of Monaco. During his term, he is responsible for leading the government's action and is in charge of foreign relations...
is the principalityPrincipalityA principality is a monarchical feudatory or sovereign state, ruled or reigned over by a monarch with the title of prince or princess, or by a monarch with another title within the generic use of the term prince....
's Head of government, subordinate to the Prince of MonacoPrince of MonacoThe Reigning Prince or Princess of Monaco is the sovereign monarch and head of state of the Principality of Monaco. All Princes or Princesses thus far have taken the name of the House of Grimaldi, but have belonged to various other houses in male line...
and responsible for enforcing its laws. - In Portugal, Minister of State (Ministro de Estado) is a member of the Council of MinistersPortuguese Council of MinistersThe Cabinet of Portugal is a collegial body presided over by the Prime Minister. All ministers are members of the council of ministers, and when the prime minister finds it fit, state secretaries can also attend its meetings.- Functions :The Council of Ministers discusses and approves bills to be...
who holds a more distinct position within the cabinet, roughly equivalent to Deputy Prime MinisterDeputy Prime MinisterA deputy prime minister or vice prime minister is, in some counties, a government minister who can take the position of acting prime minister when the prime minister is temporarily absent. The position is often likened to that of a vice president, but is significantly different, though both...
. - In Scandinavian states, the equivalent title StatsministerStatsministerStatsminister is the local title for the function of prime minister in Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland . Although it literally means 'state minister', it should not be confused with the English title Minister of State, which usually indicates a subordinate minister, or the French Ministre...
is used for the head of governmentHead of governmentHead 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...
(i.e. the 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...
), and compound titles of which Statsminister is a part may be used for major Portfolio Ministers. - Spain: When Leopoldo Calvo SoteloLeopoldo Calvo SoteloLeopoldo Calvo-Sotelo y Bustelo, 1st Marquis of the Ría of Ribadeo and Grandee of Spain was a Spanish political figure and prime minister during the period of transition after the end of Francisco Franco's regime.-Biography:...
was Prime Minister of SpainPrime 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...
(1981-1982), Ministers of State were created who held a more distinct position within the Government. However, this initiative did not last since his successors did not follow this path.
Minor government ranks
In various other nations, especially in former members of the British EmpireBritish Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
, it is a junior rank, often subordinated to a cabinet member.
- Australia: The Special Minister of StateSpecial Minister of StateThe Special Minister of State , currently the Special Minister of State for the Public Service and Integrity is a ministerial portfolio in the Australian Government Department of Finance and Deregulation responsible for various parliamentary, electoral, financial and oversight affairs.Other areas...
is a ministerial position in the Australian Government, sometimes a Cabinet position, responsible for parliamentary, electoral, oversight and other affairs. - Canada: A Minister of State is senior to a Secretary of StateSecretary of State (Canada)Secretary of State was a title given to some Ministers of State in the Government of Canada sitting outside Cabinet from 1993 to 2003 and again from 2007 to 2008. Secretaries of State were members of the ministry and the Queen's Privy Council for Canada...
but junior to a 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...
(ordinary portfolio minister) - see Ministers of State in CanadaMinister of state (Canada)A Minister of State is a junior cabinet minister in the Canadian Cabinet, usually given specific responsibilities to assist a senior cabinet minister in a specific area....
. - Germany: Minister of State (Staatsminister in German) is the title given to a parliamentary state secretary (a member of parliament serving as a political aide to a cabinet minister) serving in the Foreign Office or the Chancellor's Office. Accordingly, Minister of State ranks between a Secretary of StateSecretary of StateSecretary 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....
and a Federal Minister. It is also used as the title of cabinet ministers of certain German statesStates of GermanyGermany is made up of sixteen which are partly sovereign constituent states of the Federal Republic of Germany. Land literally translates as "country", and constitutionally speaking, they are constituent countries...
. Historically, the same title was used (sometimes alternating with others styles), notably as head of government in certain of the many constituent monarchies of pre-reunion Germany, e.g. in Hesse-DarmstadtGrand Duchy of HesseThe Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine , or, between 1806 and 1816, Grand Duchy of Hesse —as it was also known after 1816—was a member state of the German Confederation from 1806, when the Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt was elevated to a Grand Duchy, until 1918, when all the German...
, Hesse-KasselHesse-KasselThe Landgraviate of Hesse-Kassel or Hesse-Cassel was a state in the Holy Roman Empire under Imperial immediacy that came into existence when the Landgraviate of Hesse was divided in 1567 upon the death of Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse. His eldest son William IV inherited the northern half and the...
(or Hesse-Cassel), LippeLippeLippe is a Kreis in the east of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Neighboring districts are Herford, Minden-Lübbecke, Höxter, Paderborn, Gütersloh, and district-free Bielefeld, which forms the region Ostwestfalen-Lippe....
, Schaumburg-LippeFree State of Schaumburg-LippeThe Free State of Schaumburg-Lippe was created following the abdication of Prince Adolf II of Schaumburg-Lippe on 15 November 1918. It was a state in Germany during the Weimar Republic, headed by a Minister President. The democratic government was suppressed during Nazi rule...
, in Hannover, Mecklenburg-StrelitzMecklenburg-StrelitzMecklenburg-Strelitz was a duchy and later grand duchy in northern Germany, consisting of the eastern fifth of the historic Mecklenburg region, roughly corresponding with the present-day Mecklenburg-Strelitz district , and the western exclave of the former Bishopric of Ratzeburg in modern...
, Reuss-Schleiz-Gera and Reuss Junior Line, electorate/kingdom SaxonySaxonyThe Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
, Saxe-AltenburgSaxe-AltenburgSaxe-Altenburg was one of the Saxon duchies held by the Ernestine branch of the Wettin dynasty in present-day Thuringia.-History:The duchy originated from the medieval Burgraviate of Altenburg in the Imperial Pleissnerland , a possession of the Wettin Margraves of Meissen since 1243...
, Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, Saxe-MeiningenSaxe-MeiningenThe Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen was one of the Saxon duchies held by the Ernestine line of the Wettin dynasty, located in the southwest of the present-day German state of Thuringia....
, Saxe-Weimar-EisenachSaxe-Weimar-EisenachThe Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach was created in 1809 by the merger of the Ernestine duchies of Saxe-Weimar and Saxe-Eisenach. It was raised to a Grand duchy in 1815 by resolution of the Vienna Congress. In 1877, it officially changed its name to the Grand Duchy of Saxony , but this name was...
, Schwarzburg-RudolstadtSchwarzburg-RudolstadtSchwarzburg-Rudolstadt was a small historic state in present-day Thuringia, Germany with its capital at Rudolstadt.-History:Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt was established in 1599 in the course of a resettlement of Schwarzburg dynasty lands...
and Schwarzburg-SondershausenSchwarzburg-SondershausenSchwarzburg-Sondershausen was a small principality in Germany, in the present day state of Thuringia, with capital at Sondershausen.-History:...
. - India: A Minister of State is a junior Minister in the Council of Ministers 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
- Ireland: A Minister of State is junior to a Minister of a Department of State (portfolio minister) and of similar standing to a Parliamentary SecretaryParliamentary SecretaryA Parliamentary Secretary is a member of a Parliament in the Westminster system who assists a more senior minister with his or her duties.In the parliamentary systems of several Commonwealth countries, such as the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, it is customary for the prime minister to...
- see Ministers of State in IrelandMinister of State (Ireland)A Minister of State in Ireland is of non-Cabinet rank, attached to one or more Departments of State of the Government of Ireland....
. - Nigeria: A Minister of State is a junior Minister in the Nigerian Cabinet and is normally the principal deputy or one of the deputies to the Minister in a Federal Ministry. The Minister of State may in some cases be the head of a special department in the President's Office. By law, both senior Ministers and Ministers of State are regarded as Ministers of the Government of the FederationFederationA federation , also known as a federal state, is a type of sovereign state characterized by a union of partially self-governing states or regions united by a central government...
. - Pakistan: Like in other former British colonies, a Minister of State in Pakistan is a junior Minister in the national Government who may assist a cabinet minister or have independent charge of a ministry.
- Singapore: Ministers of State and Senior Ministers of State are members of the executive branch of the Government of SingaporeGovernment of SingaporeThe Government of Singapore is defined by the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore to mean the Executive branch of government, which is made up of the President and the Cabinet of Singapore. Although the President acts in his personal discretion in the exercise of certain functions as a check...
, senior in rank to Parliamentary Secretaries and Senior Parliamentary Secretaries, but junior to full Ministers. - United Kingdom: A Minister of State is a member of Her Majesty's Government, junior only to a Secretary of StateSecretary of StateSecretary 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....
but senior to a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of StateParliamentary Under-Secretary of StateA Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State is the lowest of three tiers of government minister in the government of the United Kingdom, junior to both a Minister of State and a Secretary of State....
and Parliamentary Private SecretariesParliamentary Private SecretaryA Parliamentary Private Secretary is a role given to a United Kingdom Member of Parliament by a senior minister in government or shadow minister to act as their contact for the House of Commons; this role is junior to that of Parliamentary Under-Secretary, which is a ministerial post, salaried by...
(PPSs). 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. There can be more than one Minister of State at any government Department. Ministers of State may have departmental PPSs, or a PPS might be assigned to them. Of a similar standing to Ministers of State are positions such as the Solicitor GeneralSolicitor General for England and WalesHer Majesty's Solicitor General for England and Wales, often known as the Solicitor General, is one of the Law Officers of the Crown, and the deputy of the Attorney General, whose duty is to advise the Crown and Cabinet on the law...
, the Deputy Leader of the House of CommonsLeader of the House of CommonsThe Leader of the House of Commons is a member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom who is responsible for arranging government business in the House of Commons...
, Treasurer of HM Household, Captain of the Yeomen of the GuardCaptain of the Yeomen of the GuardThe Captain of the Queen's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard is a UK government post usually held by the Government Deputy Chief Whip in the House of Lords...
, Paymaster General, Financial Secretary to the TreasuryFinancial Secretary to the TreasuryFinancial Secretary to the Treasury is a junior Ministerial post in the British Treasury. It is the 4th most significant Ministerial role within the Treasury after the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, and the Paymaster General...
and Economic Secretary to the TreasuryEconomic Secretary to the TreasuryThe Economic Secretary to the Treasury is the fifth most senior ministerial post in the UK Treasury, after the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, the Paymaster-General and the Financial Secretary...
. Ministers of State are bound by the Ministerial Code of conduct.
Subnational office
In the republic of Burma, the title was used for the Chief ministers of the following autonomous states, from 1947/48 till the abolition of that autonomy in 1962: Arakan State (Rakhine), Chin stateChin State
Chin State is a state located in western Burma . The Chin State is bordered by Rakhine State in the south, Bangladesh in south-west, Sagaing Division and Magway Division in the east, Indian state of Manipur in the north and Indian state of Mizoram in the west. The Chin ethnic group make up the...
, Karen State (Kayin), Kayah State
Kayah State
Kayah State is a state of Myanmar. Situated in eastern Myanmar, it is bounded on the north by Shan State, on the east by Thailand's Mae Hong Son Province, and on the south and west by Kayin State. It lies approximately between 18° 30' and 19° 55' north latitude and between 94°40' and 97° 93' east...
(Karenni), Kachin State
Kachin State
Kachin State , is the northernmost state of Burma. It is bordered by China to the north and east; Shan State to the south; and Sagaing Division and India to the west. It lies between north latitude 23° 27' and 28° 25' longitude 96° 0' and 98° 44'. The area of Kachin State is . The capital of the...
and Shan state
Shan State
Shan State is a state of Burma . Shan State borders China to the north, Laos to the east, and Thailand to the south, and five administrative divisions of Burma in the west. Largest of the 14 administrative divisions by land area, Shan State covers 155,800 km², almost a quarter of the total...
Netherlands and Belgium
In the NetherlandsNetherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
(Minister van Staat in Dutch) and Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
(also Ministre d'État in French), Minister of State is a title of honour
Honour
Honour or honor is an abstract concept entailing a perceived quality of worthiness and respectability that affects both the social standing and the self-evaluation of an individual or corporate body such as a family, school, regiment or nation...
awarded formally by the Monarch, but on the initiative of the government. It is given on a personal basis, for life rather than for a specified period. The title is granted for exceptional merits, generally to senior politicians
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
at the end of their party career. Ministers of state are often former cabinet members or party leaders. Ministers of State advise the Sovereign in delicate situations, with moral authority but without formal competence.
In Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
they are entitled to a seat, alongside the members of the government in power, in the Crown Council
Crown Council of Belgium
The Crown Council of Belgium is composed of the King of the Belgians, the Ministers and the Ministers of State. The King chairs 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
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
, and the latest in 1960 in connection with the independence of the Belgian Congo
Belgian Congo
The Belgian Congo was the formal title of present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo between King Leopold II's formal relinquishment of his personal control over the state to Belgium on 15 November 1908, and Congolese independence on 30 June 1960.-Congo Free State, 1884–1908:Until the latter...
. Apart from that, the only privileges 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 almost obsessional 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
Étienne Davignon
Étienne Francois Jacques Davignon, Viscount Davignon is a Belgian politician, businessman, and former vice-president of the European Commission.-Career:...
(European Commissioner) and Luc Coene (prime-ministerial Kabinetschef, roughly 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
Socialist Party - Different
' is a Flemish social-democratic party in Belgium. It was formerly known as the Socialistische Partij , which in turn had branched off from the Belgian Socialist Party, itself formed by former members of the Belgian Labour Party.-1978-now:The party was the big winner in the 2003 election, running...
. After formateur Yves Leterme
Yves Leterme
Yves Camille Désiré Leterme is a Flemish Belgian politician, a leader of the Christian Democratic and Flemish party , and the 48th Prime Minister of Belgium.Leterme was the Prime Minister of Belgium from March 2008 to December 2008...
returned his commission in August 2007, king Albert II consulted 13 Ministers of State individually, without convening the crown council as such.
New Zealand
- To bestow a sinecureSinecureA sinecure means an office that requires or involves little or no responsibility, labour, or active service...
— the role has been given to senior figures who did not occupy positions of leadership, but who were held in high esteem or who were wanted in Cabinet. For example, a former Prime Minister might be appointed Minister of State as an "elder statesmanStatesmanA statesman is usually a politician or other notable public figure who has had a long and respected career in politics or government at the national and international level. As a term of respect, it is usually left to supporters or commentators to use the term...
" — this was the purpose for which New Zealand Prime Minister Robert MuldoonRobert MuldoonSir Robert David "Rob" Muldoon, GCMG, CH served as the 31st Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1975 to 1984, as leader of the governing National Party. Muldoon had been a prominent member of the National party and MP for the Tamaki electorate for some years prior to becoming leader of the party...
originally created the position in 1975. - To create a sort of junior minister — using this office, politicians can be appointed to associate roles without having a substantive ministerial role of their own. There is no formal rank of "assistant minister" or "deputy minister" in New Zealand, but if someone is a full minister, they can be assigned to an associate role helping a different full minister. Someone appointed Minister of State is technically a full minister and can thus be assigned associate roles, thereby creating a type of minister whose only effective authority is as an associate minister.
The first Minister of State in New Zealand was Keith Holyoake
Keith Holyoake
Sir Keith Jacka Holyoake, KG, GCMG, CH, QSO, KStJ was a New Zealand politician. The only person to have been both Prime Minister and Governor-General of New Zealand, Holyoake was National Party Prime Minister from 20 September 1957 to 12 December 1957, then again from 12 December 1960 to 7...
, a former Prime Minister. Other prominent people to have held the office include Jim Bolger
Jim Bolger
James Brendan "Jim" Bolger, ONZ was the 35th Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1990 to 1997. Bolger was elected on the promise of delivering a "Decent Society" following the previous Labour government's economic reforms, known as Rogernomics...
and Robin Gray (a former Prime Minister and a former Speaker
Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives
In New Zealand the Speaker of the House of Representatives is the individual who chairs the country's legislative body, the New Zealand House of Representatives...
, respectively). Examples of people who held the office simply in order that they might be appointed as associate ministers include Mita Ririnui
Mita Ririnui
Mita Michael Ririnui is a New Zealand politician and a member of the Labour Party. He has been a member of parliament since 1999.-Early years:...
, Damien O'Connor
Damien O'Connor
Damien Peter O'Connor is a New Zealand politician from the West Coast of the South Island. He is a member of the Labour Party and a Member of Parliament.-Early years:...
, and Dover Samuels
Dover Samuels
Dover Spencer Peneha Samuels was a Labour Member of Parliament in New Zealand from 1996 to 2008 inclusive.He first entered Parliament as a list MP in the 1996 elections, and was the MP for Te Tai Tokerau since the 1999 elections...
.
Ancien Régime France
In FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
during the Ancien Régime and Bourbon Restoration
Bourbon Restoration
The Bourbon Restoration is the name given to the period following the successive events of the French Revolution , the end of the First Republic , and then the forcible end of the First French Empire under Napoleon – when a coalition of European powers restored by arms the monarchy to the...
, the title "Ministre d'État" had a specific designation. The title first appeared under Louis XIII
Louis XIII of France
Louis XIII was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and of Navarre from 1610 to 1643.Louis was only eight years old when he succeeded his father. His mother, Marie de Medici, acted as regent during Louis' minority...
. The "ministres d'État", appointed by lettres patentes
Letters patent
Letters patent are a type of legal instrument in the form of a published written order issued by a monarch or president, generally granting an office, right, monopoly, title, or status to a person or corporation...
, attended meetings of the Conseil du Roi
Conseil du Roi
The Conseil du Roi or King's Council is a general term for the administrative and governmental apparatus around the king of France during the Ancien Régime designed to prepare his decisions and give him advice...
(which would later become the Conseil d'État). From 1661 on — at the start of Louis XIV
Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV , known as Louis the Great or the Sun King , was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre. His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, began at the age of four and lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days...
's "personal reign" — the king called whomever he wished to his Council; invitations were only good for one session and needed to be renewed as long as the individual retained the king's confidence. However, having attended one session of the Council gave the person the right to be called "ministre d'État" for life, and also gave him the right to an annual life pension of roughly 20,000 livres
Livre tournois
The livre tournois |pound]]) was:#one of numerous currencies used in France in the Middle Ages; and#a unit of account used in France in the Middle Ages and the early modern period.-Circulating currency:...
. There were few "ministres d'État" at Council meetings (between three or four during the reign of Louis XIV); they also attended the "Conseil des Dépêches" (the "Counsel of Messages", concerning notices and administrative reports from the provinces).
Suppressed during the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
, the title "ministre d'État" reappeared during the Bourbon Restoration
Bourbon Restoration
The Bourbon Restoration is the name given to the period following the successive events of the French Revolution , the end of the First Republic , and then the forcible end of the First French Empire under Napoleon – when a coalition of European powers restored by arms the monarchy to the...
as essentially an honorary title given (not systematically) to Ministers after their demission or their departure from office; refusal on behalf of the King to award this title to a demissioned Minister was seen as an affront.
British diplomacy
From 28 January 1944, the last two British Ministers Resident in the Middle East, concerned with former British protectorateProtectorate
In history, the term protectorate has two different meanings. In its earliest inception, which has been adopted by modern international law, it is an autonomous territory that is protected diplomatically or militarily against third parties by a stronger state or entity...
Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, were styled Ministers of State in the Middle East.