View source for Minister of State

{{short description|Junior minister assigned to assist a specific cabinet minister}}
{{for|the 1997 Finnish film|The Minister of State}}
{{more citations needed|date=July 2012}}
{{Executive}}

'''Minister of state''' is a designation for a [[government minister]], with varying meanings in different jurisdictions. In a number of European countries, the title is given as an [[honorific]] conferring a higher rank, often bestowed upon senior ministers. Conversely, in the United Kingdom and several other [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] countries, "minister of state" is a junior rank, subordinate to a minister of higher rank. Finally, in other countries such as Australia, Brazil and Japan, all government ministers hold the title of "minister of state".

==High government ranks==
In several national traditions, the title "Minister of State" is reserved for government members of [[cabinet rank]], often a formal distinction within it, or even its chief.
*'''[[Government of Brazil|Brazil]]:''' Minister of State ({{langx|pt|Ministro de Estado}}) is the title borne by all members of the [[Cabinet of Brazil|Federal Cabinet]].
*'''[[Chile]]''': Minister of State ([[Spanish language|Spanish]]: ''Ministro de Estado'') is the title borne by all heads of the [[Ministries of Chile|Ministries]].
*'''[[Government of France|France]]:''' Under the [[French Fifth Republic|Fifth Republic]], Minister of State (''Ministre d'État'' in French) is an honorific title bestowed upon nomination as a Minister. Ministres d'État, in the protocol, rank after the [[Prime Minister of France|Prime Minister]] 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#France|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 former [[French President]] [[Nicolas Sarkozy]].
*'''[[Government of Japan|Japan]]:''' Minister of State is the title borne by all members of the [[Japanese Cabinet]].
*'''[[Government of Kenya|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, ministries housed under the [[President of Kenya|Office of the President]], [[Deputy President of Kenya|Office of the Deputy President]] and [[Prime Minister of Kenya|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.{{citation needed|date=February 2018}}
*'''[[Government of Luxembourg|Luxembourg]]:''' Minister of State (French: ''Ministre d'État''; Luxembourgish and German: ''Staatsminister'') is an additional title borne by the [[Prime Minister of Luxembourg|Prime Minister]]. Unlike the title 'Prime Minister' (French: ''Premier ministre''; Luxembourgish: ''Premier''; German: ''Premierminister''), which was instituted only in 1989, that of ''Minister of State'' has been held by the head of government since 1848. As Minister of State, his role is to control and coordinate the activities of the other Ministers. 
*'''[[Government of Monaco|Monaco]]:''' The [[Minister of State of Monaco]] is the [[Principality]]'s head of government, appointed by and subordinate to the [[Prince of Monaco]] and responsible for enforcing its laws.
*'''[[Government of Palau|Palau]]:''' The [[Minister of State (Palau)|Minister of State of Palau]] is the minister responsible for foreign affairs and international trade.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ministry of State – PalauGov.pw |url=https://www.palaugov.pw/executive-branch/ministries/state/}}</ref>
*'''[[Government of Portugal|Portugal]]:''' Minister of State (''Ministro de Estado'') is a member of the [[Portuguese Council of Ministers|Council of Ministers]] who holds a more distinct position within the cabinet, roughly equivalent to [[Deputy prime minister]].
*'''[[Government of Spain|Spain]]:''' When [[Adolfo Suárez]] was [[Prime Minister of Spain|Prime Minister]], Ministers of State were created who held a more distinct position within the [[Government of Spain|Government]]. However, this initiative did not last since his successors did not follow this path.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://elpais.com/diario/1981/01/30/espana/349657207_850215.html|title=Los Gobiernos de Suárez |date=1981-01-30|work=El País |language=es |issn=1134-6582 |access-date=2019-09-05}}</ref>
*'''[[Scandinavia]]n''' states + Finland: The equivalent title ''statsminister'' is used for the [[head of government]] (i.e. the [[prime minister]]), and compound titles of which ''-minister'' is a part may be used for major-portfolio Ministers. For details on ''statsminister'', see [[Prime Minister of Sweden]], [[Prime Minister of Denmark]], [[Prime Minister of Norway]], and [[Prime Minister of Finland]].
*'''[[Government of Turkey|Turkey]]:''' A [[Minister of State (Turkey)|Minister of State]] ({{langx|tr|Devlet Bakanı}}) was a post in [[Cabinet of Turkey|Turkish cabinets]] between 1946 and 2011. It was possible to have more than one Minister of State in a single cabinet, responsible for different policy areas.
*'''[[Minister of State (United Kingdom)|United Kingdom]]:''' Normally a mid-level government role (see next section) but [[Lord Beaverbrook]] was nominally Minister of State from 1 May 1941 to 29 June 1941 while a member of the [[Churchill war ministry|war cabinet]]. It has become regular practice for senior Ministers of State to be invited to attend cabinet on a regular basis at the Prime Minister's discretion, though they are not technically full members. However, more recently, some Ministers of State have been made full members of the Cabinet, such as [[Jacob Rees-Mogg]] when he served as Minister of State for Government Efficiency.

==Minor government ranks==
In various nations, especially in former members of the [[British Empire]], "Minister of State" is a junior ministerial rank, often subordinated to a [[Cabinet (government)#Westminster cabinets|cabinet]] member.
*'''[[Government of Bangladesh|Bangladesh]]:''' A Minister of State is a junior minister in the [[Cabinet of Bangladesh]] who may assist a cabinet minister or be in charge of an independent ministry. Then the State Minister is known as Minister of State (Ministry Charge).
*'''[[Government of Canada|Canada]]:''' A Minister of State is senior to a [[Secretary of State (Canada)|Secretary of State]] but junior to a [[Minister of the Crown]] (ordinary portfolio minister). {{See also|Minister of State (Canada)|label 1=Ministers of State in Canada}}
{{anchor|Germany}}
*'''[[Government of Germany|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 [[Minister for Foreign Affairs (Germany)|Foreign Office]] or the [[Chancellor of Germany|Chancellor's Office]]. Accordingly, Minister of State ranks between a [[Secretary of state#Germany|State Secretary]] and a Federal Minister. It is also used as the title of cabinet ministers of certain German [[states of Germany|states]]. Historically, the same title was used (sometimes alternating with other styles), notably as head of government in certain of the many constituent monarchies of pre-reunion Germany, e.g. in [[Grand Duchy of Hesse|Hesse-Darmstadt]], [[Electorate of Hesse|Hesse-Kassel]] (or Hesse-Cassel), [[Principality of Lippe|Lippe]], [[Schaumburg-Lippe]], in [[Kingdom of Hanover|Hannover]], [[Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz|Mecklenburg-Strelitz]], [[Reuss-Schleiz-Gera]] and [[Principality of Reuss-Greiz]], [[Kingdom of Saxony]], [[Saxe-Altenburg]], [[Saxe-Coburg-Gotha]], [[Saxe-Meiningen]], [[Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach]], [[Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt]] and [[Schwarzburg-Sondershausen]].
{{anchor|India}}
*'''[[Government of India|India]]:''' A Minister of State is a junior minister in the [[Council of Ministers of the Republic of India|Council of Ministers]] in the [[Government of India|Union Government]] who may assist a cabinet minister or have independent charge of a ministry. The [[Constitution of India]] restricts the total number of ministers in the [[Union Council of Ministers|Council of Ministers]] to 15% of total number of members in the [[Lok Sabha|House of the People]] at the Union level.<ref>{{cite web  | title       = Article 75: Other provisions as to Ministers - Constitution of India  | url         = https://www.constitutionofindia.net/articles/article-75-other-provisions-as-to-ministers/  | date        = 2025-06-03  | archiveurl  = https://archive.today/20250603143318/https://www.constitutionofindia.net/articles/article-75-other-provisions-as-to-ministers/  | archivedate = 2025-06-03 }}</ref> A similar restriction also exists at the [[States and union territories of India|State]] level.<ref>{{Cite web | archive-url=https://archive.today/20250603143437/https://www.constitutionofindia.net/articles/article-164-other-provisions-as-to-ministers/ | archive-date=2025-06-03 | url=https://www.constitutionofindia.net/articles/article-164-other-provisions-as-to-ministers/ | title=Other provisions as to Ministers}}</ref> A Minister of State with independent charge is a minister without an overseeing Cabinet Minister in the State or Union Government of India. He himself is in charge of his ministry, unlike Minister of State who is also a Minister but assists a [[cabinet minister]]. Moreover, such ministers can take part in cabinet meetings on important issues unlike Ministers of state who does not take any part in any cabinet meetings.
*'''[[Government of Ireland|Ireland]]:''' A Minister of State is junior to a Minister of a ''Department of State'' (portfolio minister) and of similar standing to a [[Parliamentary Secretary]]. {{See also|Minister of State (Ireland)|label 1=Ministers of State in Ireland}}
*'''[[Government of Nigeria|Nigeria]]:''' A Minister of State is a junior Minister in the [[Federal Executive Council (Nigeria)|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 [[Federation]].
*'''[[Government of Pakistan|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.<ref>[http://www.pakistan.gov.pk/divisions/ContentInfo.jsp?DivID=13&cPath=118_124&ContentID=2097 Pakistan Federal Cabinet] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070302224940/http://www.pakistan.gov.pk/divisions/ContentInfo.jsp?DivID=13&cPath=118_124&ContentID=2097 |date=2007-03-02 }}</ref>
*'''[[Government of Sri Lanka|Sri Lanka]]:''' A [[State minister (Sri Lanka)|Minister of State]] (or State Minister) is a [[Non-cabinet minister (Sri Lanka)|non-cabinet minister]] of the executive branch of the [[Government of Sri Lanka]], as such is junior to a [[Cabinet Minister]] but senior to a [[Deputy Minister]].
*'''[[Government of Singapore|Singapore]]:''' Ministers of State and Senior Ministers of State are members of the executive branch of the [[Government of Singapore]], senior in rank to Parliamentary Secretaries and Senior Parliamentary Secretaries, but junior to full Cabinet Ministers. 
*'''[[Cabinet of Ministers (Turkmenistan)|Turkmenistan]]:''' The chairperson of the government-owned national natural gas company, [[Turkmengas]], holds the rank of Minister of State, and is included in the Cabinet of Ministers.
{{Uk-gov-positions}}
*'''[[Government of the United Kingdom|United Kingdom]]:''' A Minister of State is a member of [[His Majesty's Government]], junior only to a [[Secretary of State (United Kingdom)|Secretary of State]] but senior to a [[Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State]] and [[Parliamentary Private Secretaries]] (PPSs). Ministers of State are responsible to their Secretaries of State. The role in this context has existed only since 1945 (see above for exception in the case of Beaverbrook) – 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 General for England and Wales|Solicitor General]], the Deputy [[Leader of the House of Commons]], [[Treasurer of the Household]], [[Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard]], [[Paymaster General]], [[Financial Secretary to the Treasury]] and [[Economic Secretary to the Treasury]]. Ministers of State are bound by the [[Ministerial Code]]. {{See also|Minister of State (United Kingdom)}}

==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 State]], [[Kayin State]] (Kayin), [[Kayah State]] (Karenni), [[Kachin State]] and [[Shan State]]

==Other uses==

===Australia===

*'''[[Government of Australia|Australia]]:''' Section 64 of the [[Constitution of Australia|Commonwealth constitution]] empowers the [[Governor-General of Australia|Governor-General]] to appoint "the Queen's Ministers of State for the Commonwealth [of Australia]" as "officers to administer such departments of State of the Commonwealth as the Governor‑General in Council may establish". The ''Ministers of State Act 1952'' defines the number of ministers only distinguishes between ministers and [[parliamentary secretaries]] (now known as assistant ministers). However, in practice ministers of state are divided into the [[Cabinet of Australia|Cabinet]] and the outer ministry.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2018C00020|title=Ministers of State Act 1952|publisher=Federal Register of Legislation}}</ref> The only ministerial portfolio to have the term "minister of state" in the title is [[Special Minister of State]].

===Netherlands and Belgium===
{{Main|Minister of State (Netherlands)|Minister of State (Belgium)}}
In the [[Netherlands]] (''Minister van Staat'' in Dutch) and [[Belgium]] (also ''Ministre d'État'' in French), Ministers 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 of Belgium|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 precedence according to protocol on state occasions and a ministerial car registration number. 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 number of ministers of state reached 51 with Johan Vande Lanotte, shortly after he laid down his portfolio and title of Vice-Prime Minister to head the Flemish [[Socialistische Partij Anders|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.

In both countries, junior ministers are called [[State Secretary (Netherlands)|State Secretary]] (''staatssecretaris'' or ''secrétaire d'état''), similarly to France. Some State Secretaries may, in specific circumstances, style themselves as Minister (not Minister of State) when visiting a foreign country.

===New Zealand===
* To bestow a [[sinecure]] – 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 "[[wikt:statesman|elder statesman]]" – this was the purpose for which New Zealand Prime Minister [[Rob Muldoon]] 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]], a former Prime Minister. Other prominent people to have held the office include [[Jim Bolger]] and [[Robin Gray (New Zealand politician)|Robin Gray]] (a former Prime Minister and a former [[Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives|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]].

===Ancien Régime France===
In [[France]] during the [[Ancien Régime]] and [[Bourbon Restoration in France|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 [[livre tournois|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 "Council 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 in France|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.

===British diplomacy===
From 28 January 1944, the last two British [[Resident Minister|Ministers Resident]] in the Middle East, concerned with former British [[protectorate]] [[Egypt]], were styled Ministers of State in the Middle East.

==See also==
*[[List of Jamaican ministers of state]]
*[[Minister of State (Turkey)]]
* [[State Minister (Georgia)]]

== References ==

{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.worldstatesmen.org/ WorldStatesmen- see each present country]
{{Types of government ministers and ministries}}

[[Category:Ministerial offices]]
[[Category:State ministers|*]]