Some states, however, do have a term of office of the prime minister linked to the period in office of the parliament. In parliamentary systems, governments are generally required to have the confidence of the lower house of parliament (though a small minority of parliaments, by giving a right to block supply to upper houses, in effect make the cabinet responsible to both houses, though in reality upper houses, even when they have the power, rarely exercise it). Additionally, Article 20[2] stipulates that the Government "shall determine and conduct the policy of the Nation", and it includes domestic issues, while the president concentrates on formulating directions on national defense and foreign policy while arbitrating the efficient service of all governmental authorities in France. [note 1] In some cases, prime ministers may choose to hold additional ministerial posts (e.g. Most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system, Constitutional basis for the position in different countries. When the monarch grew tired of a first minister, he or she could be dismissed, or worse: Cromwell was executed and Clarendon driven into exile when they lost favour. During the Third and Fourth Republics, the head of government was formally called president of the Council of Ministers (French: Président du Conseil des Ministres), generally shortened to president of the Council (French: Président du Conseil). In the United Kingdom, for example, the tradition whereby it is the prime minister who requests a dissolution of parliament dates back to 1918. During the period between the time it is clear that the incumbent government has been defeated at a general election, and the actual swearing-in of the new prime minister by the monarch, governor-general, or president, that person is referred to as the "prime minister-elect" or "prime minister-designate". In most systems, the prime minister is the presiding member and chairman of the cabinet. In the Nordic countries the prime minister is called Statsminister, meaning "Minister of State". India's constitution (1950) lists the powers, functions and duties of the Prime Minister of India. Go to Main Site . In some Commonwealth countries prime ministers and former prime ministers are styled Right Honourable due to their position (the Prime Minister of Canada, for example). The RPR had an alliance with the UDF, which gave them a majority. The title was however informal and used alongside the equally informal principal ministre d'État ("chief minister of the state") more as a job description. Under some presidential systems, such as South Korea and Peru, the prime minister is not the head of government; rather, he or she is only the leader or most senior member of the cabinet. Ireland's constitution (1937), provides for the office of Taoiseach in detail, listing powers, functions and duties. [2], The term prime minister in the current sense originated in the 18th century in the United Kingdom when members of parliament disparagingly used the title in reference to Sir Robert Walpole (whose official title was First Lord of the Treasury). The post of prime minister may be encountered both in constitutional monarchies (such as Belgium, Denmark, Japan, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Malaysia, Morocco, Spain,[note 2] Sweden, Thailand, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom) and in parliamentary republics, in which the head of state is an elected official (such as Finland, the Czech Republic, France, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia (1945–1959), Ireland, Pakistan, Portugal, Montenegro, Croatia, Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, Turkey (1923–2018)) and Italy). In parliamentary systems a prime minister may enter into office by several means. Walpole always denied that he was "prime minister", and throughout the 18th century parliamentarians and legal scholars continued to deny that any such position was known to the Constitution. (Some constitutional experts have questioned whether this process is actually in keeping with the provisions of the Irish constitution, which appear to suggest that a taoiseach should remain in office, without the requirement of a renomination, unless s/he has clearly lost the general election.) The 1958 Constitution includes several provisions intended to strengthen the prime minister's position, for instance by restricting the legislature's power to censure the government. In the UK, where devolved government is in place, the leaders of the Scottish, Northern Irish and Welsh Governments are styled First Minister. The main exceptions to this system have been the United States and the presidential republics in Latin America modelled on the U.S. system, in which the president directly exercises executive authority. Australia's constitution makes no mention of a Prime Minister of Australia and the office only exists by convention, based on the British model. Few decrees are taken after advice from the Council of State (French: Conseil d'État). Germany's Basic Law (1949) lists the powers, functions and duties of the federal chancellor. The last prime minister not to be First Lord of the Treasury was Lord Salisbury at the turn of the 20th century. Neither term is strictly correct from a constitutional point of view, but they have wide acceptance. Prime Minister’s itinerary for Sunday, January 17, 2021. Poland and Hungary do have some reason to believe the rule of law provisions would have been used as a way of forcing compliance, with European Parliament vice president Katarina Barley, of Germany, having suggested they should be “starved financially” before the vote at which they exercised … In Israel, the Prime Minister's executive office is officially titled the "Prime Minister's Office" in English, but the original Hebrew term can also be translated as the Prime Minister's Ministry. Hungary's constitution (2012) lists the powers, functions and duties of the Prime Minister of Hungary. [4] The monarch could no longer establish any law or impose any tax without its permission and thus the House of Commons became a part of the government. * * * * * First of all I must say something to those who … Although the roles of the Spanish head of government coincide with the definition of a 'prime minister', in Spain the position is in fact referred to as 'the Presidency of the Government'. Prime Minister’s itinerary for … Walpole chaired cabinet meetings, appointed all the other ministers, dispensed the royal patronage and packed the House of Commons with his supporters. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks with Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany. The United Kingdom's constitution, being uncodified and largely unwritten, makes no mention of a prime minister. In federations, the head of government of a federated entity (e.g., a Canadian province, a Brazilian state, etc.) For example, right after the legislative election of 1986, President François Mitterrand had to appoint Jacques Chirac prime minister although Chirac was a member of the RPR (Rally for the Republic) and therefore a political opponent of Mitterrand. Bahrain's former prime minister, Sheikh Khalifah bin Sulman Al Khalifah occupied the post from 1970 to November 2020, making him the longest serving non-elected prime minister. In non-Commonwealth countries the prime minister may be entitled to the style of Excellency like a president. As a result, a prime minister has only been censured once during the existence of the Fifth Republic, in 1962 when Georges Pompidou was toppled over objections to President Charles de Gaulle's effort to have the president popularly elected. After several unsuccessful attempts to strengthen the role in the first half of the twentieth century, a semi-presidential system was introduced under the Fifth Republic. The convention in the English language is to call nearly all national heads of government "prime minister" (sometimes the equivalent term "premier") except in the cases where the head of state and head of government are fused into one position, usually a presidency, regardless of the correct title of the head of government as applied in his or her respective country. A stand-out case is the President of Iran, who is not actually a head of state, but the head of the government of Iran. Estonian Prime Minister Juri Ratas said he would resign on Wednesday amid corruption allegations against his political party. [7][8][9] In some places alternative titles such as "premier", "chief minister", "first minister of state", "president of the council" or "chancellor" were adopted, but the essentials of the office were the same. The nature of his questions left the French in little doubt that he was on board for the concept. In practice, because the National Assembly does have the power to force the resignation of the cabinet by adopting a motion of censure, the choice of prime minister must reflect the will of the majority in the Assembly. Late in Anne's reign, for example, the Tory ministers Harley and Viscount Bolingbroke shared power. Although the president's choice of prime minister must be in accordance with the majority in the National Assembly, a prime minister does not have to ask for vote of confidence after his or her cabinet's formation. A prime minister is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Instead, her or his powers, duties, appointment and termination follow uncodified conventions. The monarchs of England and the United Kingdom had ministers in whom they placed special trust and who were regarded as the head of the government. He is referred to as "president" in both the Persian and English languages. Spain's constitution (1978) regulates the appointment, dismissal, powers, functions and duties of the President of the Government. Such a situation, where the president is forced to work with a prime minister who is an opponent, is called a cohabitation. Where they lose a vote of confidence, have a motion of no confidence passed against them, or where they lose supply, most constitutional systems require either: The latter in effect allows the government to appeal the opposition of parliament to the electorate. … August 1960 in Berg-Seelscheid Werdegang Abitur 1980: Mitglied der FDP Ausbildung zum Bankkaufmann Studium der Volks- und Betriebswirtschaftslehre an den Universitäten Münster und Bonn 1987: Abschluss als Diplom-Volkswirt 1987 bis 1991: Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter … A tipping point in the evolution of the prime ministership came with the death of Anne in 1714 and the accession of George I to the throne. As a result, cabinets were often toppled twice a year, and there were long stretches where France was left with only a caretaker government. Over time, however, the title became honorific and remains so in the 21st century.[3]. From 1721 this was the Whig politician Robert Walpole, who held office for twenty-one years. Canada has a 'mixed' or hybrid constitution, partly formally codified and partly uncodified. Decrees and decisions of the prime minister, like almost all executive decisions, are subject to the oversight of the administrative court system. Malta's constitution (1964) lists the powers, functions and duties of the Prime Minister of Malta. In most modern parliamentary systems, the prime minister is the person who decides when to request a parliamentary dissolution. The power of these ministers depended entirely on the personal favour of the monarch. The prime minister can "engage the responsibility" of his or her Government before the National Assembly. when its portfolio is critical to that government's mandate at the time): during the Second World War, Winston Churchill was also Minister of Defence (although there was then no Ministry of Defence at the time). [2] He is, as the representative of the government, the only member of the government able to introduce legislation in Parliament. When it arises, such a state of affairs is usually referred to as (political) cohabitation. As a later prime minister, Lord Melbourne, said, "It matters not what we say, gentlemen, so long as we all say the same thing.". Itineraries Ottawa, Ontario - January 17, 2021. CHISINAU, Dec 31 (Reuters) - Moldova's new president, Maia Sandu, on Thursday appointed Foreign Minister Aureliu Ciocoi as the acting prime minister, a presidential decree showed. She remained continuously in power until 1990, though she used the assembly of each House of Commons after a general election to reshuffle her cabinet. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. Eden did not formally commit himself to the plan, but that was in itself a decision. These ministers held a variety of formal posts, but were commonly known as "the minister", the "chief minister", the "first minister" and finally the "prime minister". This process consists of placing a bill before the Assembly, and either the Assembly overthrows the Government, or the bill is passed automatically (article 49). Prime Minister’s itinerary for Monday, January 18, 2021. ", Cabinet department / Office of the Prime Minister, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Prime_minister&oldid=1002564749, Articles needing additional references from May 2018, All articles needing additional references, Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2019, All articles containing potentially dated statements, Articles with unsourced statements from May 2010, Articles containing Spanish-language text, Articles containing Italian-language text, Articles needing additional references from June 2012, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Министър-председател, Ministar-predsedatel, Председатель Правительства Российской Федерации, Predsedatel' Pravitel'stva Rossiyskoy Federatsii, This page was last edited on 25 January 2021, at 01:18. Between 1921 and 1972, when Northern Ireland was a Majority Rule Parliament the head of government would be known as the Prime Minister of Northern Ireland. Taiwan's constitution (1946) lists the powers, functions and duties of the President of the Executive Yuan. During the Third and Fourth Republics, the head of government was formally called president of the Council of Ministers (French: Président du Conseil des Ministres), generally shortened to president of the Council (French: … He or she can base his or her their legitimacy on the president's assignment as prime minister and approval of the cabinet. Juri Ratas has resigned but denies any wrongdoing after a probe was opened into his … The People's Republic of China constitution set a premier just one place below the National People's Congress in China. The following table groups the list of past and present prime ministers and details information available in those lists. However, in many jurisdictions a head of state may refuse a parliamentary dissolution, requiring the resignation of the prime minister and his or her government. Although there was a cabinet, it was appointed entirely by the monarch, and the monarch usually presided over its meetings. Other members of Government are appointed by the president "on the recommendation of the prime minister". Norway's constitution (1814) lists the powers, functions and duties of the Prime Minister of Norway. In India, the Prime Minister is called Pradhān Mantrī, literally meaning the Head of ministers or Prime Minister. PM’s inaugural address at the National Metrology Conclave in New Delhi. Under the circumstances, the president of the council was usually a fairly weak figure whose strength more dependent on charisma than formal powers. Excerpts of this speech and another before the House of Commons are included here. As well as being head of government, being prime minister may require holding other roles or posts—the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, for example, is also First Lord of the Treasury and Minister for the Civil Service. In Pakistan, the prime minister is referred to as Wazir-e-Azam, meaning "Grand Vizier". Hence the Irish Taoiseach is formally 'renominated' after every general election. No parliamentary vote takes place on who forms a government. The position of prime minister is normally chosen from the political party that commands majority of seats in the lower house of parliament. In some presidential and all semi-presidential systems, such as those of France, Russia or South Korea, the prime minister is an official generally appointed by the president but usually approved by the legislature and responsible for carrying out the directives of the president and managing the civil service. Often, he was little more than primus inter pares, and was more the cabinet's chairman than its leader. Under the Third Republic, the French Constitutional Laws of 1875 vested the president of the council with similar formal powers to those which at that time the British prime minister possessed. Which Members, though, are left to uncodified convention. In these systems, it is possible for the president and the prime minister to be from different political parties if the legislature is controlled by a party different from that of the president. Most prime ministers in parliamentary systems are not appointed for a specific term in office and in effect may remain in power through a number of elections and parliaments. Another example is the Thirty-fourth government of Israel (2015-2019)[update], when Benjamin Netanyahu at one point served as the Prime Minister and those of Communications, Foreign Affairs, Regional Cooperation, Economy, Defense and Interior. In practice the prime minister acts on the impulse of the president to whom he is a subordinate, except when there is a cohabitation in which case his responsibilities are akin to those of a prime minister in a parliamentary system. Click Here for Donation Details About PM CARES Fund. Laurent Fabius1984–1986 (1946-08-20) 20 August 1946 (age 74), Édith Cresson1991–1992 (1934-01-27) 27 January 1934 (age 86), Édouard Balladur1993–1995 (1929-05-02) 2 May 1929 (age 91), Alain Juppé1995–1997 (1945-08-15) 15 August 1945 (age 75), Lionel Jospin1997–2002 (1937-07-12) 12 July 1937 (age 83), Jean-Pierre Raffarin2002–2005 (1948-08-03) 3 August 1948 (age 72), Dominique de Villepin2005–2007 (1953-11-14) 14 November 1953 (age 67), François Fillon2007–2012 (1954-03-04) 4 March 1954 (age 66), Jean-Marc Ayrault2012–2014 (1950-01-25) 25 January 1950 (age 71), Manuel Valls2014–2016 (1962-08-13) 13 August 1962 (age 58), Bernard Cazeneuve2016–2017 (1963-06-02) 2 June 1963 (age 57), Édouard Philippe2017–2020 (1970-11-28) 28 November 1970 (age 50), Several incarnations since the Ancien Régime, Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, "French National Assembly – Assemblée nationale", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Prime_Minister_of_France&oldid=993319189, Official website different in Wikidata and Wikipedia, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, The only person to serve as prime minister more than once under the Fifth Republic was, The youngest appointed prime minister was, The only woman who was appointed at the head of government is. 2. Japan's constitution (1946) lists the powers, functions and duties of the Prime Minister of Japan. The prime minister is the holder of the second highest office of France. In many cases, though commonly used, "prime minister" is not the official title of the office-holder; the Spanish prime minister is the President of the Government (Presidente del Gobierno). In a situation in which a ruling party elects or appoints a new leader, the incoming leader will usually be referred as "prime minister-in-waiting". Prof. Dr. Andreas Pinkwart Minister für Wirtschaft, Innovation, Digitalisierung und Energie geboren am 18. 3. Thailand's constitution (1932) lists the powers, functions and duties of the Prime Minister of Thailand. The current officeholder is Jean Castex, who was appointed on 3 July 2020. On September 27, 1938, when negotiations between Hitler and Chamberlain were strained, the British Prime Minister addressed the British people. Accordingly, it is often said "not to exist"; indeed there are several instances of parliament declaring this to be the case. In parliamentary systems fashioned after the Westminster system, the prime minister is the presiding and actual head of government and head of the executive branch. A prime minister is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system.Under those systems, a prime minister is not the head of state of their respective state nor a monarch; rather the prime minister is the head of government, serving typically under a monarch in a hybrid of aristocratic … The head of government of the People's Republic of China is referred to as the Premier of the State Council and the premier of the Republic of China (Taiwan) is also appointed by the president, but requires no approval by the legislature. Kings sometimes divided power equally between two or more ministers to prevent one minister from becoming too powerful. The Constitution Act, 1867 only establishes the Queen's Privy Council for Canada, to which all federal ministers (among others) are appointed and with Members[note 3] of which the Monarch or her Governor General normally performs executive government (as Queen- or Governor-in-Council). It is at this point that a modern style of prime minister begins to emerge.[5][6]. There is no formal term of office for the Prime Minister- the Prime Minister, and his/her Cabinet, remain in office as long as the Government (essentially, the Cabinet) can maintain a majority in the House of Commons. The U.K.’s Cabinet Office includes the Prime Minister’s Office. While prime ministers are usually chosen from amongst the ranks of the National Assembly, on rare occasions the president has selected a non-officeholder because of their experience in bureaucracy or foreign service, or their success in business management—Dominique de Villepin, for example, served as prime minister from 2005 to 2007 without ever having held an elected office. By the late 20th century,[10][11] the majority of the world's countries had a prime minister or equivalent minister, holding office under either a constitutional monarchy or a ceremonial president. Similarly, though the modern 1937 Irish constitution grants to the Taoiseach the right to make the request, the earlier 1922 Irish Free State Constitution vested the power in the Executive Council (the then name for the Irish cabinet). During the whole of the 18th Century, Britain was involved in a prolonged conflict with France, periodically bursting into all-out war, and Britons took outspoken pride in their "Liberty" as contrasted to the "Tyranny" of French Absolute Monarchy; therefore, being implicitly compared with Richelieu was no compliment to Walpole. Italy's constitution (1948) lists the powers, functions and duties of the President of the Council of Ministers. 1. According to article 21 of the Constitution,[2] the prime minister "shall direct the actions of the Government". [2] Before he is allowed to dissolve the Assembly, the president has to consult the prime minister and the presidents of both Houses of Parliament (article 12). Wilfried Martens, who served as Prime Minister of Belgium, described his role as follows: In the Russian constitution the prime minister is actually titled Chairman of the government while the Irish prime minister is called the Taoiseach (which is rendered into English as prime minister), and in Israel he is Rosh HaMemshalah, meaning "head of the government". The Prime Minister's Department is also used, as is Cabinet Department. Czech Republic's constitution clearly outlines the functions and powers of the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, and also details the process of his/her appointment and dismissal. The prime minister of the French Republic (French: Premier ministre français), sometimes shortened to premier, is the head of government of France. Though it had de facto existed for centuries, its first mention in official state documents did not occur until the first decade of the twentieth century. Some officials regarded a powerful Germany as a bulwark against the Soviet Union. Despite the fact that Mitterrand's own Socialist Party was the largest party in the Assembly, it did not have an absolute majority. Under those systems, a prime minister is not the head of state of their respective state nor a monarch; rather the prime minister is the head of government, serving typically under a monarch in a hybrid of aristocratic and democratic government forms or a president in a republican form of government. In such systems, the head of state or their official representative (e.g., monarch, president, governor-general) usually holds a largely ceremonial position, although often with reserve powers. The prime minister of the French Republic (French: Premier ministre français), sometimes shortened to premier, is the head of government of France. Itineraries Ottawa, Ontario - January 17, 2021. The Prime Minister's executive office is usually called the Office of the Prime Minister or Cabinet Office. Although managing the parliament was among the necessary skills of holding high office, they did not depend on a parliamentary majority for their power. George II and George III made strenuous efforts to reclaim the personal power of the monarch, but the increasing complexity and expense of government meant that a minister who could command the loyalty of the Commons was increasingly necessary. In practice, however, this proved insufficient to command the confidence of France's multi-party parliament. The prestige of British institutions in the 19th century and the growth of the British Empire saw the British model of cabinet government, headed by a prime minister, widely copied, both in other European countries and in British colonial territories as they developed self-government. In these circumstances it was inevitable that the king's first minister would become the de facto head of the government.