A
prime minister is the most senior minister of
cabinetA Cabinet is a body of high-ranking members of government, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or Executive Committee.- Overview :...
in the
executive}}In the study of political science the executive branch of government has sole authority and responsibility for the daily administration of the state bureaucracy. The division of power into separate branches of government is central to the democratic idea of the separation of powers .In many...
branch of
governmentA government is the body within a community, political entity or organization which has the authority to make and enforce rules, laws and regulations.....
in a
parliamentary systemA parliamentary system is a system of government where in the ministers of the executive branch are drawn from the legislature, and are accountable to that body, such that the executive and legislative branches are intertwined...
. The position is usually held by, but need not always be held by, a
politicianA politician or political leader is an individual who is involved in influencing public decision making. This includes people who hold decision-making positions in government, and people who seek those positions, whether by means of election, coup d'état, appointment, electoral fraud, conquest,...
. In many systems, the prime minister selects and can dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the Government. In most systems, the prime minister is the presiding member and chairman of the cabinet. In a minority of systems, notably in
semi-presidential systemThe semi-presidential system, also known as the presidential-parliamentary system, or premier-presidential system, is a system of government in which a president and a prime minister are both active participants in the day-to-day administration of the state...
s of government, a prime minister is the official who is appointed to manage the
civil serviceThe term civil service has two distinct meanings:* A branch of governmental service in which individuals are employed on the basis of professional merit as proven by competitive examinations....
and execute the directives of the
presidentPresident is a title held by many leaders of organizations, companies, trade unions, universities, and countries. Etymologically, a "president" is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
.
In parliamentary systems fashioned after the
Westminster systemThe Westminster system is a democratic parliamentary system of government modelled after the politics of the United Kingdom. This term comes from the Palace of Westminster, the seat of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
, the prime minister is the presiding and actual head of the government and head of the executive branch. In such systems, the
head of stateHead of state is the generic term for the individual or collective office that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state...
or the head of state's official representative (i.e the monarch, president, or governor-general), although officially the head of the executive branch, in fact holds a ceremonial position. The prime minister is often, but not always, a
member of parliamentA Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a parliament. In many countries the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a unique title, such as senate, and thus also have unique titles for its members, such as senators. Members of...
and is expected with other ministers to ensure the passage of bills through the
legislatureA legislature is a type of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law...
. In some
monarchiesThe person who heads a monarchy is called a monarch. It was a common form of government in the world during the ancient and medieval times. A Monarchy is a form of government in which supreme power is absolutely or nominally lodged with an individual, who is the head of state, often for life or...
the monarch may also exercise executive powers (known as the
royal prerogativeThe Royal Prerogative is a body of customary authority, privilege, and immunity, recognized in common law and, sometimes, in civil law jurisdictions possessing a monarchy as belonging to the Sovereign alone. It is the means by which some of the executive powers of government, possessed by and...
) which are constitutionally vested in the crown and can be exercised without the approval of parliament.
As well as being head of government, a prime minister may have other roles or titles the
Prime Minister of the United KingdomThe Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the political leader of the United Kingdom and the Head of Her Majesty's Government...
, for example, is also
First Lord of the TreasuryThe First Lord of the Treasury is the head of the commission exercising the ancient office of Lord High Treasurer in the United Kingdom, and is usually—but not always—also the Prime Minister. Currently, the office is held by Gordon Brown...
and
Minister for the Civil ServiceIn British government, the Minister for the Civil Service is responsible for making regulations regarding Her Majesty's Civil Service, the role of which is to assist the governments of the United Kingdom in formulating and implementing policies...
. Prime ministers may take other ministerial posts for example during the Second World War
Winston ChurchillSir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC was a British politician known chiefly for his leadership of the United Kingdom during World War II. He served as Prime Minister from 1940 to 1945 and again from 1951 to 1955. A noted statesman and orator, Churchill was also an officer...
was also Minister of Defence (although there was then no
Ministry of DefenceThe Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
). The
Prime Minister of AustraliaThe Prime Minister of Australia is the head of government of the Commonwealth of Australia, holding office on commission from the Governor-General. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful political office in Australia...
,
Gough WhitlamEdward Gough Whitlam, AC, QC , known as Gough Whitlam , is a former Australian politician, representing the New South Wales seat of Werriwa, and 21st Prime Minister of Australia....
, was famous for forming his cabinet entirely of himself and his deputy as soon as the overall result of the
1972 federal electionFederal elections were held in Australia on 2 December 1972. All 125 seats in the House of Representatives were up for election. The Liberal Party of Australia had been in power since 1949, under Prime Minister of Australia William McMahon since March 1971 with coalition partner the Country Party...
was beyond doubt (see
First Whitlam MinistryThe First Whitlam Ministry, often known as the "two-man Ministry" or the "Duumvirate", was the forty-eighth Australian Commonwealth ministry, and ran from 5 December 1972 to 19 December 1972....
).
History
The first actual usage of the term
prime minister or
Premier Ministre was used by Cardinal Richelieu when in 1625 he was named to head the royal council as prime minister of France. Louis XIV and his descendants generally attempted to avoid giving this title to their chief ministers.
The term prime minister in the sense that we know it originated in the 18th century in the
United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
. Since medieval times 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. Examples were
Thomas CromwellThomas Cromwell, 1st Earl of Essex was an English statesman who served as King Henry VIII's chief minister from 1532 to 1540. Cromwell rose to such power because he was one of the strongest advocates of the English Reformation, the English Church's break with the papacy in Rome...
under
Henry VIIIHenry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was also Lord of Ireland and claimant to the Kingdom of France. Henry was the second monarch of the House of Tudor, succeeding his father, Henry VII.Henry VIII was a significant figure in the history of the English monarchy...
;
William Cecil, Lord BurghleyWilliam Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley , KG, was an English statesman, the chief advisor of Queen Elizabeth I for most of her reign , twice Secretary of State and Lord High Treasurer from 1572.-Early life:Cecil was born in Bourne, Lincolnshire in...
under
Elizabeth IElizabeth I was Queen of England and Queen of Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called the Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
;
ClarendonEdward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon was an English historian and statesman, and grandfather of two British monarchs, Mary II and Queen Anne.-Early life:...
under
Charles IICharles II was the King of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father King Charles I was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War. The English Parliament did not proclaim Charles II king at this time. Instead they passed a statute making such a...
and
GodolphinSidney Godolphin, 1st Earl of Godolphin PC , was a leading British politician of the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries.-Family and early career:He came from an ancient family of Cornwall...
under
Queen AnneAnne became Queen of England, Scotland and Ireland on 8 March 1702, succeeding her brother-in-law, William III of England and II of Scotland...
. These ministers held a variety of formal posts, but were commonly known as "the minister," the "first minister" and finally the "prime minister."
The power of these ministers depended entirely on the personal favour of the monarch. Although managing the parliament was among the necessary skills of holding high office, they did not depend on a parliamentary majority for their power. Although there was a
cabinetA Cabinet is a body of high-ranking members of government, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or Executive Committee.- Overview :...
, it was appointed entirely by the monarch, and the monarch usually presided over its meetings. 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. Kings sometimes divided power equally between two or more ministers to prevent one minister becoming too powerful. Late in Anne's reign, for example, the
ToryToryism is a traditionalist political philosophy, which grew out of the Cavalier faction in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. It is most prominent in Great Britain, but also features in some parts of The Commonwealth — particularly in Canada...
ministers
HarleyRobert Harley, 1st Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer , was a British politician and statesman of the late Stuart and early Georgian periods. He began his career as a Whig, before defecting to a new Tory Ministry. Between 1711 and 1714 he served as First Lord of the Treasury, effectively Queen Anne's...
and
St JohnHenry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke , was an English politician and philosopher. He identified predominantly with the Tory faction, of which he was a prominent member for many years....
shared power.
In the mid 17th century, after the
English Civil WarThe English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists. The first and second civil wars pitted the supporters of King Charles I against the supporters of the Long Parliament, while the third war saw fighting between supporters of...
and the
ProtectorateIn British history, the Protectorate was the period 1653–1659 during which the Commonwealth of England was governed by a Lord Protector.-Background:...
, Parliament had strengthened its position and it emerged even more powerful after the
Glorious RevolutionThe Glorious Revolution, also called the Revolution of 1688, was the overthrow of King James II of England in 1688 by a union of Parliamentarians with an invading army led by the Dutch stadtholder William III of Orange-Nassau who, as a result, ascended the English throne as William III of England...
of 1688. The monarch could not establish any law or impose any tax without its permission.
Thus it has been said that the House of Commons became a part of the government and it has been only a further step of this development that a new kind of prime minister should emerge. This turning point in the evolution of the prime ministership came with the death of Anne in 1714 and the accession of
George IGeorge I was King of Great Britain and Ireland from 1 August 1714 until his death, and ruler of Hanover in the Holy Roman Empire from 1698....
. George spoke no English, spent much of his time at his home in
HanoverHanover or Hannover , on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony , Germany and was once by personal union the family seat of the Hanoverian Kings of Great Britain, in their dignities as the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg Hanover or Hannover , on the river Leine, is...
, and had neither knowledge of nor interest in the details of English government. In these circumstances it was inevitable that the king's first minister would become the
de facto head of the governmentA de facto head of state is an office-holder who fulfills some, many, or all of the functions of a head of state. However, he or she is not considered a full head of state, but simply acts like a head of state in the absence of the state's legal and official, or de jure, head.-On the diplomatic...
. From 1721 this was the
WhigThe Whigs are often described as one of the two original political parties in England and later the United Kingdom from the late 17th to the mid-19th centuries. The Whigs' origin lay in constitutional monarchism and opposition to absolute rule...
politician
Robert WalpoleRobert Walpole, 1st Earl of Orford, KG, KB, PC and known before 1742 as Sir Robert Walpole, was a British statesman who is generally regarded as having been the first Prime Minister of Great Britain....
, who held office for twenty-one years. Walpole chaired cabinet meetings, appointed all the other ministers, dispensed the royal patronage and packed the
House of CommonsThe House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 646 members, who are known as "Members...
with his supporters. Under Walpole, the doctrine of cabinet solidarity developed. Walpole required that no minister other than himself have private dealings with the king, and also that when the cabinet had agreed on a policy, all ministers must defend it in public or resign. As a later prime minister,
Lord MelbourneWilliam Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne, PC, FRS was a British Whig statesman who served as Home Secretary and Prime Minister , and was a mentor of Queen Victoria...
, said: "It matters not what we say, gentlemen, so long as we all say the same thing."
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. The title was first referred to on government documents during the administration of Benjamin Disraeli but did not appear in the formal British
Order of precedenceAn order of precedence is a sequential hierarchy of nominal importance of items. Most often it is used in the context of people by many organizations and governments...
until 1905.
George IIGeorge II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death....
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. The long tenure of the wartime Prime Minister
Pitt the YoungerWilliam Pitt, the Younger was a British politician of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. He became the youngest Prime Minister in 1783 at the age of 24 . He left office in 1801, but was Prime Minister again from 1804 until his death in 1806...
(1783-1801), combined with the mental illness of George III, consolidated the power of the post.
The prestige of British institutions in the 19th century and the growth of the
British EmpireThe British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom, that had originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height it was...
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 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. By the late 20th century the majority of the world's countries had a prime minister or equivalent minister, holding office under either a
constitutional monarchyA constitutional monarchy is a form of government in which a monarch acts as head of state within the parameters of a written , unwritten or blended constitution...
or a ceremonial president. The main exceptions to this system have been the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and the presidential republics in Latin America, modelled on the U.S. system, in which the president directly exercises executive authority.
Prime ministers in republics and in monarchies
The post of prime minister may be encountered both in constitutional
monarchA monarch is the person who heads a monarchy, a form of government in which the country or entity usually ruled or controlled by an individual who usually rules for life or until abdication...
ies (such as Belgium,
DenmarkThe Prime Minister of Denmark is the head of government in Danish politics. He is the leader of a political coalition in the Danish parliament and the leader of the cabinet....
,
JapanThe is the usual English-language term used for the head of government of Japan, although the literal translation of the Japanese name for the office is Minister for the general administration of the Cabinet...
, The Netherlands,
NorwayThe Prime Minister of Norway is the political leader of Norway and the Head of His/Her Majesty's Government. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Stortinget , to their political party, and...
,
MalaysiaThe Prime Minister of Malaysia is the indirectly elected head of government of Malaysia. He is formally appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the head of state, and is invariably the leader of the largest party in the House of Representatives, the elected lower house of Parliament...
,
SpainThe President of the Government of Spain , usually known in English as the Prime Minister of Spain, is the Spanish head of government...
,
SwedenThe Prime Minister is the head of government in Sweden. Before 1876, when the office of Prime Minister was instituted, Sweden did not have a formal head of government...
,
CanadaThe Prime Minister of Canada is the primary Minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government of Canada. The office is not outlined in any of the documents that constitute the written portion of the constitution of Canada; executive authority is formally vested in the...
,
AustraliaThe Prime Minister of Australia is the head of government of the Commonwealth of Australia, holding office on commission from the Governor-General. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful political office in Australia...
,
New ZealandThe Prime Minister of New Zealand is New Zealand's head of government consequent on being the leader of the party or coalition with majority support in the Parliament of New Zealand...
, and the
United KingdomThe Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the political leader of the United Kingdom and the Head of Her Majesty's Government...
), and in
republicA republic is a form of government in which the head of state is not a monarch and the people have an impact on its government. The word 'republic' is derived from the Latin phrase res publica which can be translated as "a public affair".Both modern and ancient republics vary widely in their...
s in which the head of state is an elected official (such as
FinlandFinland , officially the Republic of Finland
, is a Nordic country and democracy situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. It borders Sweden on the west, Russia on the east, and Norway on the north, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland...
,
FranceFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
,
GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
,
IndiaIndia, 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, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal...
,
ItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia. Italy shares its northern, Alpine boundary with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia...
,
IrelandIreland is a country in north-western Europe. The modern sovereign state occupies about five-sixths of the island of Ireland, which was partitioned on 3 May 1921. It is a parliamentary democracy and a republic...
,
PortugalPortugal , officially the Portuguese Republic , is a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of mainland Europe and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west and south and by Spain to the north and east...
,
MontenegroMontenegro , is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast, Kosovo to the east and Albania to the south...
,
CroatiaCroatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a country in southeast Europe, at the crossroads of the Pannonian Plain, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean Sea. Its capital is Zagreb...
,
BulgariaBulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a country in the Balkans in south-eastern Europe. Bulgaria borders five other countries: Romania to the north , Serbia and the Republic of Macedonia to the west, and Greece and Turkey to the south...
,
RomaniaRomania is a country located in Southeastern and Central Europe, North of the Balkan Peninsula, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea. Almost all of the Danube Delta is located within its territory...
,
SerbiaSerbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a country located in both Central and Southeastern Europe. Its territory covers the southern part of the Pannonian Plain and central part of the Balkans...
,
TurkeyTurkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey
, is a Eurasian country that stretches across the Anatolian peninsula in Western Asia and Thrace in the Balkan region of southeastern Europe...
) or an unelected official (such as
SingaporeSingapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island city-state located at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, lying north of the equator, south of the Malaysian state of Johor and north of Indonesia's Riau Islands. At , Singapore is a microstate and the smallest nation in Southeast...
before 1993) with varying degrees of real power. This contrasts with the
presidential systemA presidential system is a system of government where an executive branch exists and presides separately from the legislature, to which it is not accountable and which cannot, in normal circumstances, dismiss it....
, in which the
presidentPresident is a title held by many leaders of organizations, companies, trade unions, universities, and countries. Etymologically, a "president" is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
(or equivalent) is both the head of state and the head of the government. See also "
First MinisterThe term First Minister refers to the leader of a cabinet.-Canada:In Canada, "First Ministers" is a collective term that refers to all Canadian first ministers of the Crown, otherwise known as heads of government, including the Prime Minister of Canada and the provincial and territorial premiers...
", "
PremierA premier is a title for the head of government in some countries and states.In many nations, the title "premier" is used interchangeably with "prime minister"...
", "
Chief MinisterA Chief Minister is the elected head of government of a sub-national state, provinces of Pakistan, notably a state of India, a territory of Australia or a British overseas territory that has attained self-government...
", "
ChancellorChancellor is the title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the Cancellarii of Roman courts of justice—ushers who sat at the cancelli or lattice work screens of a basilica or law court, which separated the judge and counsel from the...
", "
TaoiseachThe Taoiseach , plural Taoisigh , also referred to as An Taoiseach , is the head of government of Ireland.The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann , and must, while he remains in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil...
" and "
Secretary of StateSecretary of State is a commonly used title for a member of government. The role varies between countries, and in some cases there are multiple Secretaries of State in the government.In many countries, a Secretary of State is a mid-level post...
": alternative titles usually equivalent in meaning to, or translated as, "prime minister". The head of government of the
People's Republic of ChinaThe People's Republic of China , commonly known as China, is the largest country in East Asia and the most populous in the world with over 1.3 billion people, approximately one-fifth of the world's population...
is referred to as the Premier.
In some
presidentialA presidential system is a system of government where an executive branch exists and presides separately from the legislature, to which it is not accountable and which cannot, in normal circumstances, dismiss it....
or
semi-presidentialThe semi-presidential system, also known as the presidential-parliamentary system, or premier-presidential system, is a system of government in which a president and a prime minister are both active participants in the day-to-day administration of the state...
systems, such as those of
FranceThe Politics of France take place in a framework of a semi-presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President of France is head of state and the Prime Minister of France head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the...
,
RussiaThe politics of Russia take place in a framework of a federal semi-presidential republic. According to the Constitution of Russia, the President of Russia is head of state, and of a multi-party system with executive power exercised by the government, headed by the Prime Minister, who is appointed...
or
South KoreaPolitics of the Republic of Korea takes place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President is the head of state, and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the...
, 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. (The premier of the
Republic of ChinaThe politics of the Republic of China takes place in a framework of a semi-presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President is head of state and the premier is head of government, and of a dominant party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative...
is also appointed by the president, but requires no approval by the legislature. Appointment of the prime minister of France requires no approval by the parliament either, but the parliament can force the resignation of the government.) 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. When it arises, such a state of affairs is usually referred to as (political)
cohabitationCohabitation in government occurs in semi-presidential systems, such as France's system, when the President is from a different political party than the majority of the members of parliament. It occurs because such a system forces the president to name a premier that will be acceptable to the...
.
Entry into office
In parliamentary systems a prime minister can enter into office by several means.
- By appointment by the head of state, without reference to parliament: While in practice most prime ministers under the Westminster system
The Westminster system is a democratic parliamentary system of government modelled after the politics of the United Kingdom. This term comes from the Palace of Westminster, the seat of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
(including AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the continental mainland , the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans...
, CanadaCanada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, New ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses , and numerous smaller islands, most notably Stewart Island/Rakiura and the Chatham Islands. The indigenous Māori named New Zealand Aotearoa, commonly translated as The Land of the Long White Cloud...
, MalaysiaMalaysia is a country in Southeast Asia that consists of thirteen states and three Federal Territories, with a total landmass of . The capital city is Kuala Lumpur, while Putrajaya is the seat of the federal government. The population stands at over 28 million inhabitants...
, IndiaIndia, 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, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal...
and the United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
) are the leaders of the largest party in parliament, technically the appointment of the prime minister is a royal prerogative exercised by the monarch or the governor-general. In IndiaIndia, 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, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal...
, the Prime Ministerial candidate must be a member of parliament either Lok Sabha (Lower House) or Rajya Sabha (Upper House). No parliamentary vote takes place on who is forming a government. However as the government will have to outline its legislative programme to parliament in, for example, the Speech from the ThroneA speech from the throne is an event in certain monarchies in which the monarch reads a prepared speech to a complete session of Parliament, outlining the government's agenda for the coming year. This event is often held annually, although in some places it may occur more or less frequently...
, the speech is sometimes used to test parliamentary support. A defeat on the Speech is taken to mean a loss of confidence and so requires either a new draft (a humiliating act no government would contemplate), resignation, or a request for a dissolution of parliament. Until the early 20th century governments when defeated in a general election remained in power until their Speech from the Throne was defeated and then resigned. No government has done so for one hundred years, though Edward HeathSir Edward Richard George Heath, KG, MBE , often known as Ted Heath, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1970 to 1974 and leader of the Conservative Party from 1965 to 1975...
in 1974 did delay his resignation while he explored whether he could form a government with Liberal partyThe Liberal Party was one of the two major British political parties from the mid 19th century until the rise of the Labour Party in the 1920s, and a third party of varying strength and importance up to 1988, when it merged with the Social Democratic Party to form a new party which would become...
support.
- In such systems unwritten (and unenforceable) constitutional conventions often outline the order in which people are asked to form a government. If the prime minister resigns after a general election, the monarch usually asks the leader of the opposition to form a government. Where however a resignation occurs during a parliament session (unless the government has itself collapsed) the monarch will ask another member of the government to form a government. While previously the monarch had some leeway in whom to ask, all British political parties now elect their leaders (until 1965 the Conservative
The Conservative and Unionist Party, more commonly known as the Conservatives, the Conservative Party, or Tory Party is a conservative political party in the United Kingdom...
s chose their leader by informal consultation). The last time the monarch had a choice over the appointment occurred in 1963 when the Earl of HomeAlexander Frederick Douglas-Home, Baron Home of the Hirsel, KT, PC , 14th Earl of Home from 1951 to 1963, was a British Conservative politician, and served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom for a year from October 1963 to October 1964...
was asked to become Prime Minister ahead of Rab ButlerRichard Austen Butler, Baron Butler of Saffron Walden, KG CH DL PC , who invariably signed his name R. A. Butler and was familiarly known as Rab, was a British Conservative politician...
.
- 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 or governor-general, that person is variously referred to as the "prime minister-elect", "...-designate" etc. Neither term is strictly correct from a constitutional point of view, but they have wide acceptance. 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." An example or this situation was in 2003 in Canada when Paul Martin
Paul Edgar Philippe Martin, PC is a Canadian politician who was the Prime Minister of Canada, as well as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....
was elected leader of the Liberal Party of CanadaThe Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is a major political party in Canada. The party sits between the centre-left and centre of the Canadian political spectrum. The party currently forms the Official Opposition in the Parliament of Canada since the 2006 federal election...
while Jean ChretienJoseph Jacques Jean Chrétien , is a Canadian politician who was the 20th Prime Minister of Canada from November 4, 1993 to December 12, 2003, and leader of the Liberal Party of Canada from 1990 to 2003.-Early life:Chrétien was born on January 11, 1934 in Shawinigan, Quebec, as the 18th of 19...
was still prime minister.
- Appointment by the head of state after parliament nominates a candidate: Example: The Republic of Ireland
Ireland is a country in north-western Europe. The modern sovereign state occupies about five-sixths of the island of Ireland, which was partitioned on 3 May 1921. It is a parliamentary democracy and a republic...
where the President of IrelandThe President of Ireland is the head of state of Ireland. The President is usually directly elected by the people for seven years, and can be elected for a maximum of two terms. The presidency is largely a ceremonial office, but the President does exercise certain limited powers with absolute...
appoints the TaoiseachThe Taoiseach , plural Taoisigh , also referred to as An Taoiseach , is the head of government of Ireland.The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann , and must, while he remains in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil...
on the nomination of the Dáil Éireannis the principal chamber of the Oireachtas . It is directly elected at least once in every five years under the system of proportional representation by means of the Single Transferable Vote . Its powers are similar to those of lower houses under many other bicameral parliamentary systems and it is...
.
- The head of state nominates a candidate for prime minister who is then submitted to parliament for approval before appointment as prime minister: Example: Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain , is a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.
[The Spanish constitution does not establish any official denomination of the country, even though España , Estado español and Nación española are used interchangeably...]
, where the King sends a nomination to parliament for approval. Also GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
where under the German Basic Law (constitution) the BundestagThe Bundestag is the parliament of Germany. It was established with Germany's constitution of 1949 and is the successor of the earlier Reichstag...
votes on a candidate nominated by the federal president. In these cases, parliament can choose another candidate who then would be appointed by the head of state.
- The head of state appoints a prime minister who has a set timescale within which s/he must gain a vote of confidence: (Example: Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia. Italy shares its northern, Alpine boundary with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia...
, RomaniaRomania is a country located in Southeastern and Central Europe, North of the Balkan Peninsula, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea. Almost all of the Danube Delta is located within its territory...
, ThailandThe Kingdom of Thailand is an independent country that lies in the heart of Southeast Asia.It is bordered to the north by Laos and Burma, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the west by the Andaman Sea and Burma...
)
- Direct election by parliament: (Example: Japan
is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Papua New GuineaPapua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
.)
- Direct election by popular vote: (Example: Israel
Israel officially the State of Israel , is a developed state in Western Asia located on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. It borders Lebanon in the north, Syria in the northeast, Jordan in the east, and Egypt on the southwest, and contains geographically diverse features within its...
, 1996-2001, where the prime minister was elected in a general election, with no regard to political affiliation.)
- Nomination by a state office holder other than the head of state or his/her representative: (Example: Under the modern Swedish Instrument of Government
The Swedish Constitution consists of four fundamental laws :* The 1974 Instrument of Government * The 1810 Act of Succession * The 1949 Freedom of the Press Act * The 1991 Fundamental Law on Freedom of Expression...
, the power to appoint someone to form a government has been moved from the monarchThe monarch is the head of state of the Kingdom of Sweden. Sweden, being a constitutional monarchy with a representative democracy based on a parliamentary system has a largely ceremonial monarch, though officially he or she holds the highest public office in Sweden and the highest military rank...
to the Speaker of Parliament and the parliament itself. The speaker nominates a candidate, who is then elected to prime minister (statsminister) by the parliament if an absolute majority of the members of parliament does not vote no (i.e. he can be elected even if more MP:s vote no than yes).
Prime ministers and constitutions
The position, power and status of prime ministers differ depending on the age of the constitution.
Australia's constitutionThe Constitution of Australia is the supreme law under which the Australian Commonwealth Government operates. It consists of several documents. The most important is the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Australia...
makes no mention of a
Prime Minister of AustraliaThe Prime Minister of Australia is the head of government of the Commonwealth of Australia, holding office on commission from the Governor-General. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful political office in Australia...
.
Canada's constitutionThe Constitution of Canada is the supreme law in Canada; the country's constitution is an amalgamation of codified acts and uncodified traditions and conventions...
, being a 'mixed' or hybrid constitution (a constitution that is partly formally codified and partly uncodified) originally did not make any reference whatsoever to a prime minister, with her or his specific duties and method of appointment instead dictated by "convention." In the
Constitution Act, 1982The Constitution Act, 1982 is a part of the Constitution of Canada. The Act was introduced as part of Canada's process of "patriating" the constitution, introducing several amendments to the British North America Act, 1867, and changing the latter's name in Canada to the Constitution Act, 1867...
, passing reference to a "
Prime Minister of CanadaThe Prime Minister of Canada is the primary Minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government of Canada. The office is not outlined in any of the documents that constitute the written portion of the constitution of Canada; executive authority is formally vested in the...
" is added, though only regarding the composition of
conferencesIn Canada, a First Ministers' conference is a meeting of the provincial and territorial premiers and the Prime Minister. These events are held at the call of the prime minister and, since 1950, have typically been held annually...
of federal and provincial first ministers.
Germany's Basic Law (1949) lists the powers, functions and duties of the federal chancellor.
India's constitutionThe Constitution of India is the supreme law of India. It lays down the framework defining fundamental political principles, establishing the structure, procedures, powers and duties, of the government and spells out the fundamental rights, directive principles and duties of citizens...
(1950) lists the powers, functions and duties of the
Prime Minister of IndiaThe Prime Minister of India is the head of government of the Republic of India, and head of the Council of Ministers, appointed by the President to assist the latter in the administration of the affairs of the executive in India...
.
Ireland's constitution, Bunreacht na hÉireann (1937), provides for the office of
TaoiseachThe Taoiseach , plural Taoisigh , also referred to as An Taoiseach , is the head of government of Ireland.The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann , and must, while he remains in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil...
in detail, listing powers, functions and duties.
Italy's constitutionThe Constitution of the Italian Republic was enacted by the Constituent Assembly on 22 December 1947, with 453 votes in favour and 62 against. The text, which has since been amended 13 times, was promulgated in the extraordinary edition of Gazzetta Ufficiale No. 298 on 27 December 1947...
(1948) lists the powers, functions and duties of the
Prime Minister of ItalyThe Prime Minister of Italy is Italy's head of government...
.
Japan's constitutionThe has been the founding legal document of Japan since 1947. The constitution provides for a parliamentary system of government and guarantees certain fundamental rights. Under its terms the Emperor of Japan is "the symbol of the State and of the unity of the people" and exercises a purely...
(1946) lists the powers, functions and duties of the
Prime Minister of JapanThe is the usual English-language term used for the head of government of Japan, although the literal translation of the Japanese name for the office is Minister for the general administration of the Cabinet...
.
Malta's constitutionThe Constitution of Malta was adopted as a legal order on September 21, 1964, and has been amended twenty-four times, most recently in 2007 with the entrenchment of the office of the Ombudsman. The constitution is typically called the Constitution of the Republic of Malta, and replaced the 1961...
(1964) lists the powers, functions and duties of the
Prime Minister of MaltaThe Prime Minister of Malta is the head of the executive branch of the Republic of Malta. The Prime Minister is the Head of Government assisted by his cabinet in day to day running of the country and a minister in his own right...
.
Malaysia's constitutionThe Federal Constitution of Malaysia is the supreme law of Malaysia. The 1957 Constitution of the Federation of Malaya is the basis of this document. It establishes Malaysia as a constitutional monarchy having the Yang di-Pertuan Agong as the Head of State whose roles are largely ceremonial...
(1957) lists the powers, functions and duties of the
Prime Minister of MalaysiaThe Prime Minister of Malaysia is the indirectly elected head of government of Malaysia. He is formally appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the head of state, and is invariably the leader of the largest party in the House of Representatives, the elected lower house of Parliament...
.
The
United Kingdom's constitutionThe constitution of the United Kingdom is the set of laws and principles under which the United Kingdom is governed.The UK has no single constitutional document comparable to those of most other nations. It is therefore often said that the country has an "unwritten", uncodified or de facto...
, being uncodified and largely unwritten, makes no mention of a
prime ministerThe Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the political leader of the United Kingdom and the Head of Her Majesty's Government...
. Though it had
de factoDe facto is a Latin expression that means "by [the] fact". In law, it is meant to mean "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but without being officially established"...
existed for centuries, its first mention in official state documents did not occur until the first decade of the twentieth century. Accordingly, it is often said "not to exist", indeed there are several instances of parliament declaring this to be the case. The prime minister sits in the cabinet solely by virtue of occupying another office, either
First Lord of the TreasuryThe First Lord of the Treasury is the head of the commission exercising the ancient office of Lord High Treasurer in the United Kingdom, and is usually—but not always—also the Prime Minister. Currently, the office is held by Gordon Brown...
(office in commission), or more rarely
Chancellor of the ExchequerThe Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all economic and financial matters. Often simply called The Chancellor, the office-holder controls HM Treasury and plays a role akin to the posts of Minister of Finance or Secretary of the...
(the last of whom was
BalfourArthur James Balfour, 1st Earl of Balfour, KG, OM, PC, DL was a British Conservative politician and statesman...
in 1905).
Exit from office
Most prime ministers in
parliamentA parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French parlement, the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at...
ary systems are not appointed for a specific term in office and in effect may remain in power through a number of
electionAn election is a formal decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual to hold public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy since the 17th century. Elections may fill offices in the legislature, sometimes in the executive and...
s and parliaments. For example,
Margaret ThatcherMargaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher LG, OM, PC, FRS served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 to 1990. She is the only woman to have held either post....
was only ever appointed prime minister on
one occasion, in 1979. She remained
continuously in power until 1990, though she used the assembly of each
House of CommonsThe House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 646 members, who are known as "Members...
after a
general electionIn a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are up for election...
to reshuffle her cabinet. Some states, however, do have a term of office of the prime minister linked to the period in office of the parliament. Hence the
IrishIreland is a country in north-western Europe. The modern sovereign state occupies about five-sixths of the island of Ireland, which was partitioned on 3 May 1921. It is a parliamentary democracy and a republic...
TaoiseachThe Taoiseach , plural Taoisigh , also referred to as An Taoiseach , is the head of government of Ireland.The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann , and must, while he remains in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil...
is formally 'renominated' after every general election. (Some
constitutionA constitution is a set of rules for government—often codified as a written document—that establishes principles of an autonomous political entity. In the case of countries, this term refers specifically to a national constitution defining the fundamental political principles, and establishing the...
al experts have questioned whether this process is actually in keeping with the provisions of the Irish constitution, which
appear to suggest that a
taoiseachThe Taoiseach , plural Taoisigh , also referred to as An Taoiseach , is the head of government of Ireland.The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann , and must, while he remains in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil...
should remain in office, without the requirement of a renomination, unless s/he has clearly lost the general election.) The position of prime minister is normally chosen from the political party that commands majority of seats in the lower house of parliament.
In parliamentary systems,
governmentA government is the body within a community, political entity or organization which has the authority to make and enforce rules, laws and regulations.....
s are generally required to have the confidence of the
lower house of parliamentA lower house is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the upper house.Despite its theoretical position "below" the upper house, in many legislatures worldwide the lower house has come to wield more power...
(though a small minority of parliaments, by giving a right to block
supplyLoss of supply occurs where a government in a parliamentary democracy using the Westminster System or a system derived from it is denied a supply of treasury or exchequer funds, by whichever house or houses of parliament or head of state is constitutionally entitled to grant and deny supply. A...
to
upper houseAn upper house is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the lower house.- Possible specific characteristics :An upper house is usually distinct from the lower house in at least one of the following respects:...
s, in effect make the
cabinetA Cabinet is a body of high-ranking members of government, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or Executive Committee.- Overview :...
responsible to both houses, though in reality upper houses, even when they have the power, rarely exercise it). Where they lose a
vote of confidence, have a
motion of no confidenceA motion of no confidence is a parliamentary motion traditionally put before a parliament by the opposition in the hope of defeating or weakening a government, or, rarely by an erstwhile supporter who has lost confidence in the government...
passed against them, or where they lose supply, most
constitutionA constitution is a set of rules for government—often codified as a written document—that establishes principles of an autonomous political entity. In the case of countries, this term refers specifically to a national constitution defining the fundamental political principles, and establishing the...
al systems require either:
a) a letter of resignation or
b) a request for parliamentary dissolution.
The latter in effect allows the government to appeal the
oppositionParliamentary opposition is a form of political opposition to a designated government, particularly in a Westminster-based parliamentary system. Note that this article uses the term government as it is used in Parliamentary systems, i.e...
of parliament to the
electorateA constituency is any cohesive body of people bound by shared identity, goals, or loyalty. Constituency can be used to describe a business's customer base and shareholders, or a charity's donors or those it serves...
. However in many
jurisdictionJurisdiction is the practical authority granted to a formally constituted legal body or to a political leader to deal with and make pronouncements on legal matters and, by implication, to administer justice within a defined area of responsibility.Alternatively, jurisdiction is the authority given...
s a head of state
may refuse a parliamentary dissolution, requiring the resignation of the prime minister and his or her government. In most modern parliamentary systems, the prime minister is the person who decides when to request a parliamentary dissolution. Older constitutions often vest this power in the
cabinetA Cabinet is a body of high-ranking members of government, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or Executive Committee.- Overview :...
. (In the
United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
, for example, the tradition whereby it is the prime minister who requests a dissolution of parliament dates back to 1918. Prior to then, it was the
entire government that made the request. 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 CouncilExecutive Council may refer to:In government:* Executive Council , a constitutional organ which exercises executive power and advises the governor.* Executive Council of Bern, the government of the Swiss canton of Bern....
(the then name for the Irish cabinet).
Titles
Different terms are used to describe prime ministers. In
GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
and
AustriaAustria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.3 million people in Central Europe. It borders both Germany and the Czech Republic to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west...
the prime minister is actually titled Federal Chancellor . In
Russian Provisional GovernmentThe Russian Provisional Government was the short-lived administrative body which sought to govern Russia immediately following the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II in February 1917. In September 14, the State Duma of the Russian Empire officially dissolved the newly created Directorate, and the...
the prime minister is actually titled Minister-Chairman while the Irish prime minister is called the (which is rendered into English as prime minister), and in
IsraelIsrael officially the State of Israel , is a developed state in Western Asia located on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. It borders Lebanon in the north, Syria in the northeast, Jordan in the east, and Egypt on the southwest, and contains geographically diverse features within its...
he is 'Rosh Memshalah' meaning head of government. In many cases, though commonly used, "prime minister" is not the official title of the office-holder; the Spanish prime minister is the Chairman/President of the Government and the British
First Lord of the TreasuryThe First Lord of the Treasury is the head of the commission exercising the ancient office of Lord High Treasurer in the United Kingdom, and is usually—but not always—also the Prime Minister. Currently, the office is held by Gordon Brown...
. Other common forms include
president of the council of ministersThe official title President of the Council of Ministers is used to describe the head of government of the states of Italy and Poland, and formerly in Portugal, France , Spain , Brazil , and Luxembourg...
(for example in
ItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia. Italy shares its northern, Alpine boundary with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia...
, ),
President of the Executive CouncilA President of the Executive Council is the presiding officer of an Executive Council in governments in the Commonwealth of Nations. The term may specifically refer to:—...
, or
Minister-PresidentA minister-president is the head of government in a number of European countries or subnational governments, who presides over the council of ministers...
. In the Scandinavian countries the prime minister is called
statsminister in the native languages (i.e. state minister). In
federationA 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...
s, the head of government of subnational entities such as
provinceA province is a territorial unit, almost always an administrative division, within a country or state.-Roman provinces:The word is attested in English since c.1330, deriving from Old French province , which comes from the Latin word provincia, which referred to the sphere of activity which a...
s is most commonly known as the
premierA premier is a title for the head of government in some countries and states.In many nations, the title "premier" is used interchangeably with "prime minister"...
,
chief ministerA Chief Minister is the elected head of government of a sub-national state, provinces of Pakistan, notably a state of India, a territory of Australia or a British overseas territory that has attained self-government...
,
governorA governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
or
minister-presidentA minister-president is the head of government in a number of European countries or subnational governments, who presides over the council of ministers...
.
In non-Commonwealth countries the prime minister may be entitled to the style of
ExcellencyExcellency is a honorific style given to certain members of an organization or state.Usually, people styled "Excellency" are counted amongst:*heads of state*heads of government*ambassadors*certain ecclesiastics*certain members of royalty...
like a president. In some Commonwealth countries prime ministers and former prime ministers are styled Right Honourable due to their position, for example in the
Prime Minister of CanadaThe Prime Minister of Canada is the primary Minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government of Canada. The office is not outlined in any of the documents that constitute the written portion of the constitution of Canada; executive authority is formally vested in the...
. In the United Kingdom the prime minister and former prime ministers may appear to also be styled Right Honourable, however this is not due to their position as head of government but as a
privilegeA privilege—etymologically "private law" or law relating to a specific individual—is a special entitlement or immunity granted by a government or other authority to a restricted group, either by birth or on a conditional basis. A privilege can be revoked in some cases. In modern...
of being current members of Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council.
In the UK where devolved government is in place, the leaders of the Scottish, Northern Ireland and Welsh Governments are styled
First MinisterThe term First Minister refers to the leader of a cabinet.-Canada:In Canada, "First Ministers" is a collective term that refers to all Canadian first ministers of the Crown, otherwise known as heads of government, including the Prime Minister of Canada and the provincial and territorial premiers...
.
In
PakistanPakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located at the crossroads of South Asia, the Middle East, and Central Asia...
, the prime minister is referred to as
"Wazir-e-Azam", meaning
"Grand Vizier".
Chairman or Chief?
Irish political scientist Professor
Brian FarrellBrian Farrell is an Irish author, journalist, academic & broadcaster.-Early Life:Although born in Manchester, England, Farrell moved to Dublin, Ireland during the Second World War. He was educated in Ireland at Coláiste Mhuire, Dublin, University College Dublin and Harvard University in the...
coined the term
Chairman or Chief to describe the two alternative concepts of prime ministerial leadership, in his book of the same name about the office of
TaoiseachThe Taoiseach , plural Taoisigh , also referred to as An Taoiseach , is the head of government of Ireland.The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann , and must, while he remains in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil...
. The term, widely used in political science worldwide, draws a distinction between a head of government who is merely a facilitator and co-ordinator of a cabinet (the "chairman"), and those who lead it forcefully from the front, setting its policy agenda and requiring all ministers to follow the leader's policies (the "chief").
Examples of "chairmen" have included
Bertie AhernPatrick Bartholomew "Bertie" Ahern is an Irish politician who served as Taoiseach of Ireland from 26 June 1997 to 7 May 2008....
(Ireland),
John MajorSir John Major, KG, CH, ACIB , is a former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and former Leader of the Conservative Party. He held these posts from 1990 to 1997....
(United Kingdom) and
Couve de MurvilleMaurice Couve de Murville was a French diplomat and politician who was Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1958 to 1968 and Prime Minister from 1968 to 1969 under the presidency of General de Gaulle....
(France), while examples of "chiefs" included
Indira GandhiIndira Priyadarshini Gandhi Indira Priyadarshini Gandhi Indira Priyadarshini Gandhi ( Indirā Priyadarśinī Gāndhī; née: Nehru; (19 November 1917 – 31 October 1984) was the Prime Minister of the Republic of India for three consecutive terms from 1966 to 1977...
and
Atal Bihari VajpayeeAtal Bihari Vajpayee , is an Indian statesman, who served as the eleventh Prime Minister of India. After a brief stint as Prime Minister in 1996, Vajpayee headed a coalition government from March 19, 1998 until May 19, 2004. He continued to served as an MP from Lucknow until 2009...
(India),
Seán LemassSeán Francis Lemass was one of the most prominent Irish politicians of the 20th century...
(Ireland),
Margaret ThatcherMargaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher LG, OM, PC, FRS served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 to 1990. She is the only woman to have held either post....
and
Tony BlairAnthony Charles Lynton "Tony" Blair is a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
(United Kingdom), and
Jacques ChiracJacques René Chirac served as the President of France from 17 May 1995 until 16 May 2007. As President he also served as an ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra and Grand Master of the French Légion d'honneur. Chirac was the second-longest serving President of France , behind François Mitterrand...
when prime minister under
cohabitation.
Not every prime minister fits exclusively into either category:
Éamon de ValeraÉamon de Valera was one of the dominant political figures in 20th century Ireland...
, though a strong personality, was only interested in controlling some of his government's agenda (usually constitutional matters and Anglo-Irish affairs), and allowed large areas to be decided by his colleagues. Though superficially a chief (and called "the Chief" [the literal translation of
Taoiseach] by his colleagues) historians see him as more of a chairman, particularly in later governments.
Winston ChurchillSir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC was a British politician known chiefly for his leadership of the United Kingdom during World War II. He served as Prime Minister from 1940 to 1945 and again from 1951 to 1955. A noted statesman and orator, Churchill was also an officer...
too, though superficially a "chief", was more chairmanlike in later governments and in those areas in which he had little personal interest.
As well as describing office holders, individual offices could be described as belonging to one or other category. Among the more dominant prime ministerial offices in terms of powers, and so more chieflike, are the premierships of Ireland and Spain, where premiers can hire and fire at will. In contrast, offices such as
President of the Executive Council of the Irish Free StateThe President of the Executive Council of the Irish Free State was the head of government or prime minister of the Irish Free State which existed from 1922 to 1937...
, Prime Minister of the Third French Republic, and the premierships of
BelgiumThe Kingdom of Belgium is a country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters, as well as those of other major international organizations, including NATO...
and The Netherlands are more chairmanlike in format. Lijphart referred to the premiership of the Netherlands as "
primus inter pares without due emphasis on
primus".
Description of the role
Wilfried MartensWilfried Martens is a Belgian politician. He was born in Sleidinge . Martens has been Prime Minister nine times: four times from 3 April 1979 to 6 April 1981 and five times from 17 December 1981 to 7 March 1992.Martens was Chair of the Belgian CVP from 1972 - 79,...
, who served as Prime Minister of Belgium, described his role as follows:
- First of all [the Prime Minister] must listen a lot, and when deep disagreements occur, he must suggest a solution to the matter. This can be done in different ways. Sometimes during the discussion, I note the elements of the problem and think of a proposal I can formulate to the Council (cabinet), the Secretary taking notes. The Ministers then insist on changing commas and full stops. The Prime Minister can also make a proposal which leaves enough room for amendments in order to keep the current discussion on the right tracks. When a solution must be found in order to reach a consensus, he can force one or two Ministers to join or resign.
Lists of Prime ministers
The following table groups the list of past and present prime ministers and details information available in those lists.
.jpg)
| Government |
List starts |
Table shows
parties? |
Term given by
years or dates? |
Incumbent |
| Afghanistan The Prime Minister of Afghanistan is a currently defunct post in the Afghan Government.The position was created in 1927, and was appointed by the king, mostly as an advisor, until the end of the monarchy in 1973...
|
1927 |
| years |
(Post Abolished) |
| Albania |
1912 |
| years |
Sali Berishais the current Prime Minister of Albania. He previously served as the first democratically elected President of Albania, from 1992 to 1997...
|
| Algeria The Prime Minister is the head of government of Algeria.The Prime Minister is appointed by the President of Algeria, along with other ministers and members of the government that the new Prime Minister recommends. The People's National Assembly must approve the legislative program of the new...
|
1962 |
yes |
years |
Ahmed Ouyahia Ahmed Ouyahia is an Algerian politician who has been Prime Minister of Algeria since June 2008. He was previously Prime Minister from 1995 to 1998 and from 2003 to 2006. A career diplomat, he also served as Minister of Justice, and was one of the founders and a president of the RND party...
|
| Andorra |
1982 |
| years |
Jaume Bartumeu Jaume Bartumeu Cassany is an Andorran lawyer and politician currently serving as head of government. He was a founding member of the Social Democratic Party in June 2000, in which he held the position of first secretary between 2000 and 2004...
|
| Angola The Prime Minister is a high government official in Angola, but is not the head of government.Along with the rest of the Council of Ministers, the Prime Minister is appointed by the President. The position was originally created when Angola achieved independence from Portugal on 11 November 1975,...
|
1975 |
| dates |
Paulo Kassoma António Paulo Kassoma is an Angolan politician. He has been Prime Minister of Angola since 30 September 2008.Kassoma was born in Rangel municipality, located in Luanda, the capital. His parents, Paulo Kassoma and Laurinda Katuta, were from Bailundo, a town in Huambo Province...
|
| Anguilla -List of Chief Ministers of Anguilla:...
|
1976 |
yes |
dates |
Osbourne Fleming Osbourne Berrington Fleming is the chief minister of Anguilla. He has held that post since March 6 2000, three days after the Anguilla United Front, a conservative coalition which includes Fleming's Anguilla National Alliance won parliamentary elections, gaining at least 4 of the 7 seats.-See...
|
| Antigua and Barbuda |
1981 |
| years |
Baldwin Spencer Winston Baldwin Spencer is the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda. He has been Prime Minister since March 24, 2004, when his party, the United Progressive Party , which he had led as the opposition party for several years, won a parliamentary election...
|
| Armenia The Prime Minister of Armenia is the most senior minister within the Armenian government, and is required by the constitution to "oversee the Government's regular activities and coordinate the work of the Ministers." The Prime Minister is appointed by the President of Armenia, but can be removed by...
|
1918 |
yes |
dates |
Tigran Sargsyan Tigran Sargsyan has been the Prime Minister of Armenia since 9 April 2008. He is not related to the President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan....
|
| Aruba The Prime Minister of Aruba is Aruba's head of government. Together with Aruba's Council of Ministers, they form the executive branch of Aruban government.-List of Prime Ministers of Aruba:*Henny Eman...
|
1986 |
| dates |
Nelson O. Oduber Nelson Orlando Oduber is the current Prime Minister of Aruba. He is a member of the Movimiento Electoral di Pueblo . He was prime minister for the first time from 1989 until 1994, when his party lost parliamentary elections, and has been prime minister again since October 30, 2001...
|
AustraliaThe Prime Minister of Australia is the head of government of the Commonwealth of Australia, holding office on commission from the Governor-General. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful political office in Australia...
|
1901 |
yes |
dates |
Kevin RuddKevin Michael Rudd is the 26th and current Prime Minister of Australia and federal leader of the centre-left Australian Labor Party . Under Rudd's leadership, the Labor Party won the 2007 federal election on 24 November against the incumbent centre-right Liberal/National coalition government led...
|
AustriaThe Chancellor of Austria is the head of government in Austria. The chancellor's deputy is the Vice Chancellor. Before 1918, the equivalent office was the Minister-President of Austria.-Appointment:...
|
1918 |
yes |
years |
Werner FaymannWerner Faymann is an Austrian politician, and the current Chancellor of Austria .-Background and earlier career:He was born in Vienna, Austria....
|
| Azerbaijan The Prime Minister of Azerbaijan is the head of government of Azerbaijan. The current prime minister is Artur Rasizade.-Prime Ministers:*Fath Ali Khan Khoyski *Nasib Yusifbeyli...
|
1918 |
yes |
dates |
Artur Rasizade Artur Tahir oğlu Rasizada , often spelled as Artur Rasizade , is the Prime Minister of Azerbaijan. Rasizada was a long-time Communist Party member during the Azerbaijan SSR period. He was Prime Minister from July 20, 1996 until August 4, 2003, when he resigned, ostensibly due to health reasons,...
|
| Bahamas |
1967 |
| dates |
Hubert Ingraham Hubert Alexander Ingraham is the Prime Minister of the Bahamas. He served from 1992 until 2002 and became Prime Minister again in 2007. He is a member of the Free National Movement Party . The Rt. Hon. Hubert A...
|
| Bahrain In Bahrain, the Prime Minister is the head of government of the country. According to the Constitution of Bahrain, the Prime Minister is appointed directly by the King, and needs not be an elected member of the Council of Representatives....
|
1970 |
| years |
Sheikh Sheikh, also rendered as Sheik, Shaykh, Shaikh, Cheikh, Šeih, Šejh and other variants , is a word or honorific term in the Arabic language that literally means "elder". It is commonly used to designate an elder of a tribe, a revered wise man, or an Islamic scholar...
Khalifah ibn Sulman Al KhalifahKhalifa ibn Salman Al Khalifah is the Prime Minister of Bahrain. He is the uncle of the reigning King, Hamad ibn Isa al-Khalifah, and has been Prime Minister since 1970, originally being appointed by his brother, the then emir, Isa ibn Salman al-Khalifa. He is the longest-serving unelected...
|
BangladeshThe Prime Minister of Bangladesh is, in practice, the most powerful political position in Bangladesh. The President of Bangladesh is considered senior to the Prime Minister, but holds a largely ceremonial role...
|
1971 |
yes |
dates |
Sheikh HasinaSheikh Hasina Wazed is a Bangladeshi politician and current Prime Minister of Bangladesh. She has been the President of the Awami League, a major political party, since 1981...
|
| Barbados |
1954 |
yes |
dates |
David Thompson David John Howard Thompson, MP has been the Prime Minister of Barbados since January 2008.Thompson came to politics in a by-election after the death of National Hero Prime Minister Errol Barrow, gaining his parliamentary seat for Saint John in 1987.Whilst Erskine Sandiford was in office as Prime...
|
| Belarus |
1919 |
| dates |
Sergey Sidorsky Sergey Sidorsky is the Prime Minister of Belarus...
|
| Belgium |
1831 |
yes |
dates |
Herman Van RompuyHerman Achille Van Rompuy is a Belgian Flemish politician and member of the CD&V and the current Prime Minister of Belgium, succeeding Yves Leterme....
|
| Belize |
1973 |
yes |
years |
Dean BarrowDean Oliver Barrow is a Belizean politician and the Prime Minister of Belize. He is also the leader of the United Democratic Party. An attorney by trade, he served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1993 to 1998 and was then Leader of the Opposition until the UDP won...
|
| Benin List of Heads of Government of Benin-Affiliations:
-Sources:* http://www.rulers.org/rulb1.html#benin* http://news.bbc.co.uk/...
|
1957 |
yes |
dates |
(Post Abolished) |
| Bermuda |
1968 |
yes |
dates |
Ewart BrownEwart Frederick Brown, Jr. is the Premier of Bermuda, leader of the Bermuda Progressive Labour Party , Minister of Tourism and Transport in the Cabinet, and Member of Parliament for the constituency of Warwick South Central....
|
| Bhutan |
1952 |
| dates |
Jigme Thinley |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina |
1943 |
| dates |
Nikola ŠpirićDr. Nikola Špirić is a Bosnian Serb politician and is the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina elected on 4 January 2007. On 1 November 2007 he resigned and dismissed the Cabinet...
|
| Botswana - List of Heads of Government of Botswana :- Affiliations:- :
Botswana Congress Party- Sources :* http://www.rulers.org/rulb1.html#botswana...
|
1965 |
yes |
dates |
(Post Abolished) |
| Brazil |
1847 |
yes |
dates |
(Post Abolished) |
| British Virgin Islands List of Heads of Government of the British Virgin IslandsAffiliation:-
NDP: National Democratic Party
UP: United Party
VIP: Virgin Islands Party...
|
1967 |
yes |
dates |
Ralph T. O'Neal Ralph Telford O'Neal, OBE is the current Premier of the British Virgin Islands. He was the first person to be appointed to the newly titled office by the Governor on 22 August,2007 under the British Virgin Islands constitution adopted in 2007 after leading the Virgin Islands Party to a landslide...
|
| Bulgaria |
1879 |
yes |
dates |
Boyko Borisov Boyko Metodiev Borisov is the current Prime Minister of Bulgaria. He is a former mayor of Sofia, a post he had held from 8 November 2005 until his election as Prime Minister....
|
| Burkina Faso |
1971 |
| dates |
Tertius Zongo Tertius Zongo has been the Prime Minister of Burkina Faso since June 2007.-Biography:Zongo was born in Koudougou. He has an extensive background in economics and accounting. He became Minister Delegate for Budget and Planning, under the Minister of the Economy, Finances, and Planning, in June 1995...
|
| Burundi This is a list of Heads of Government of Burundi- Affiliations :
- See also :*Burundi**Kings of Burundi**Presidents of Burundi**Vice-Presidents of Burundi...
|
1961 |
yes |
dates |
(Post Abolished) |
| Cambodia |
1996 |
| years |
Hun SenHun Sen is the Prime Minister of Cambodia.He is one of the key leaders of the Cambodian People's Party , which has governed Cambodia since the Vietnamese-backed overthrow of the Khmer Rouge in 1979...
|
| Cameroon Under the current constitution of Cameroon, the Prime Minister of Cameroon is a relatively powerless executive. While the Prime Minister is officially appointed to be the head of government, the President retains most of the executive power and can fire the Prime Minister at will.-History:The...
|
1960 |
| dates |
Ephraïm InoniEphraïm Inoni is a Cameroonian politician who was Prime Minister of Cameroon from 2004 to 2009. He was a long-time aide of President Paul Biya and is a member of the ruling Cameroon People's Democratic Movement...
|
| Canada |
1867 |
yes |
dates |
Stephen HarperStephen Joseph Harper, PC, MP is the 22nd and current Prime Minister of Canada, and leader of the Conservative Party. Harper became Prime Minister after his party won a minority government in the January 2006 federal election...
|
| Cape Verde |
1975 |
| dates |
José Maria Neves José Maria Pereira Neves is the Prime Minister of Cape Verde. He has been Prime Minister since 1 February 2001 and is a member of the African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde ....
|
| Cayman Islands The post of Leader of Government Business in the Cayman Islands is the equivalent to Chief Minister or Premier in most British colonies. It is the highest political level that can be attained within the colonial system...
|
1992 |
yes |
dates |
Kurt Tibbetts D. Kurt Tibbetts is a Cayman Islands politician and the former Leader of Government Business and the current Leader of the Opposition. Tibbetts is the first elected member for the district George Town in the Cayman Islands....
|
| Central African Republic |
1958 |
| dates |
Faustin-Archange Touadéra Faustin-Archange Touadéra has been Prime Minister of the Central African Republic since January 2008.Touadéra was born in Bangui; his family was originally from Damara, to the north of Bangui. He received his secondary education at the Barthelemy Boganda College in Bangui before attending the...
|
| Chad |
1978 |
| dates |
Youssouf Saleh AbbasYoussouf Saleh Abbas is a Chadian political figure who has been Prime Minister of Chad since April 2008. He was previously a diplomatic advisor and special representative of President Idriss Déby....
|
China (PRC)The Premier of the State Council , sometimes incorrectly referred to as the "Prime Minister", is the Chairman of the State Council of the People's Republic of China , who is the head of government...
|
1949 |
| dates |
Wen JiabaoWen Jiabao is the current Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, serving as the country's head of government and leading its cabinet...
|
| Comoros - List of Heads of Government of the Comoros :
- Affiliations:- :
- See also :*Comoros**Heads of state of the Comoros**Colonial heads of the Comoros...
|
1957 |
yes |
dates |
(Post Abolished) |
| Congo (Brazzaville) This is a list of Heads of Government of the Republic of the Congo .- Affiliations :
- See also :*Congo*Republic of the Congo...
|
1957 |
yes |
dates |
Isidore MvoubaIsidore Mvouba is a Congolese politician who was Prime Minister of the Republic of the Congo from January 2005 to September 2009. He is a member of the Congolese Labour Party and has held key positions under President Denis Sassou-Nguesso since 1997; he was Director of the Cabinet of the Head of...
|
| Congo (Kinshasa) |
1960 |
yes |
dates |
Adolphe Muzito Adolphe Muzito is a Congolese politician who is currently the Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Muzito, a member of the Unified Lumumbist Party , was previously Minister of the Budget under Prime Minister Antoine Gizenga from 2007 to 2008.Muzito, who is from Gungu, Kwilu...
|
| Cook Islands The Prime Minister of the Cook Islands is the most powerful official within the government of the Cook Islands, a self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand. The office was established in 1965, when self-government was first granted to the islands...
|
1965 |
yes |
dates |
Jim Marurai Jim Marurai has been the prime minister of the Cook Islands since December 14 2004 when he was elected by parliament by a vote of 14-9. He is a member of the Democratic Party , the same party as his predecessor, Robert Woonton...
|
| Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) The office of Prime Minister of Côte d'Ivoire was created in 1957. From 1957 to 1958, the Prime Minister of Côte d'Ivoire was subordinate to the French Governor of Côte d'Ivoire. From 1958 to 7 August 1960, the Prime Minister of Côte d'Ivoire was subordinate to the French High Commissioner of Côte...
|
1957 |
yes |
dates |
Guillaume Soro Guillaume Kigbafori Soro has served as the Prime Minister of Côte d'Ivoire since April 4, 2007...
|
| Croatia |
1939 |
| dates |
Jadranka KosorJadranka Kosor is a Croatian politician and former journalist. She became Croatia's first female Prime Minister on July 6, 2009, after the resignation of former Prime Minister Ivo Sanader.-Early life:...
|
| Cuba |
1940 |
| dates |
Raúl CastroBrigadier-General ' Raúl Modesto Castro Ruz is the President of the Cuban Council of State and the President of the Council of Ministers of Cuba...
|
| Czech Republic |
1969 |
| years |
Jan FischerJan Fischer is the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, and since 2003 has been the president of the Czech Statistical Office.- Personal life and education :...
|
| Denmark |
1848 |
| years |
Lars Løkke RasmussenLars Løkke Rasmussen is the current Prime Minister of Denmark and the acting leader of the centre-right Liberal party, Venstre....
|
| Djibouti |
1977 |
| dates |
Dileita Mohamed Dileita Dileita Mohamed Dileita has been the Prime Minister of Djibouti since March 2001. He is the Vice-President of the main governing party, the People's Rally for Progress , and is the President of the governing coalition, the Union for a Presidential Majority .Dileita was born in Tadjoura...
|
| Dominica Roosevelt Skerrit the Prime Minister of Dominica is the head of government in the Roosevelt Skerrit the Prime Minister of Dominica is the head of government in the...
|
1960 |
| dates |
Roosevelt Skerrit Roosevelt Skerrit is the Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Dominica as well the Member of Parliament for the Vieille Case constituency...
|
| East Timor The Prime Minister of East Timor is the head of government in East Timor. The President is the head of state. The Prime Minister is chosen by the political party or alliance of political parties with a majority in the national legislature and is formally appointed by the president...
|
2002 |
| dates |
Xanana GusmãoKay Rala Xanana Gusmão GCL is a former militant who was the first President of East Timor, serving from May 2002 to May 2007...
|
| Egypt |
1878 |
| years |
Ahmed Nazif Ahmed Nazif has served as the Prime Minister of Egypt since 14 July 2004. On 27 September 2005, he resigned, enabling President Hosni Mubarak to call for General Elections...
|
| Equatorial Guinea |
1963 |
| dates |
Ignacio Milam TangIgnacio Milam Tang is an Equatoguinean politician who has been Prime Minister of Equatorial Guinea since July 2008. He is a member of the Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea ....
|
| Estonia The Prime Minister of Estonia is the head of government of the Republic of Estonia. The prime minister is nominated by the President after appropriate consultations with the parliamentary factions and conferred by Parliament. This is usually the leader of the largest party or coalition in the...
|
1918 |
| dates |
Andrus AnsipAndrus Ansip is the current Prime Minister of Estonia, and chairman of the Estonian Reform Party .-Early life and career:...
|
| Ethiopia -Heads of Government:-Affiliations:-See also:*List of Emperors of Ethiopia*List of Presidents of Ethiopia*Lists of office-holders*Rulers of Ethiopia...
|
1942 |
yes |
dates |
Meles ZenawiMeles Zenawi Asres is the Prime Minister of Ethiopia.-Background:Meles Zenawi was born in Adwa, Tigray in Northern Ethiopia, to an Ethiopian father from Adwa, Ethiopia and his mother from Adi Quala, Eritrea, ....
|
| Faroe Islands This is a list of the people who have been prime minister of the Faroe Islands.The Faroese term for the function, Løgmaður literally means "Lawman". See also: Lawspeaker, the Scandinavian legal office, and Løgting, the Faroese parliament....
|
1946 |
| years |
Kaj Leo Johannesen Kaj Leo Johannesen is the current Faroese prime minister, representing Faroese Unionist Party . He took over at the office from Jóannes Eidesgaard on 26 September 2008....
|
| Fiji |
1966 |
| dates |
Frank Bainimarama Commodore Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama, CF, MSD, OStJ, Fijian Navy, known commonly as Frank Bainimarama and sometimes by the chiefly title Ratu , is a Fijian naval officer and politician. He is the Commander of the Fijian Military Forces and, as of 5 January 2007, Interim Prime Minister...
(interim) |
FinlandThe Prime Minister is the Head of Government of Finland. The Prime Minister is currently married to the president, and is appointed by the President, who is the Head of State...
|
1917 |
yes |
years |
Matti VanhanenMatti Taneli Vanhanen is the current Prime Minister of Finland, as well as Chairman of the Keskusta . In the second half of 2006 he was President of the European Council...
|
| France |
1815 |
| years |
François FillonFrançois Fillon is the current Prime Minister of France, having been appointed to that office by President Nicolas Sarkozy on 17 May 2007....
|
| Gabon - List of Heads of Government of Gabon :
- Sources :* http://www.rulers.org/rulg1.html#gabon...
|
1957 |
yes |
dates |
Jean Eyeghe NdongJean Eyeghé Ndong is a Gabonese politician. He was the Prime Minister of Gabon from January 20, 2006 to July 17, 2009. He was also the First Vice-President of the Gabonese Democratic Party until 2009....
|
| The Gambia -List of Heads of Government of The Gambia:-See also:* The Gambia** Heads of State of The Gambia** Colonial Heads of The Gambia* Lists of office-holders-References:...
|
1961 |
| dates |
(Post Abolished) |
| Ghana The post of Prime Minister of Ghana existed from 1957 to 1960 and again from 1969 to 1972.The country's first leader and Prime Minister was Kwame Nkrumah of the Convention People's Party . He held that post from the date of Ghanaian independence - 6 March 1957 to 1 July 1960, when a new...
|
1957 |
| dates |
(Post Abolished) |
| Georgia The Prime Minister of Georgia is the most senior minister within the Cabinet of Georgia of the Republic of Georgia, appointed by the President of Georgia. The official title of the Head of the Government of Georgia has varied throughout history, however, the duties and functions of the leader have...
|
1918 |
yes |
dates |
Nikoloz Gilauri Nikoloz "Nika" Gilauri is a Georgian politician who has been serving as Prime Minister of Georgia since February 6, 2009...
|
| Germany |
1871/1949 |
yes |
dates |
Angela Merkel' is the current Chancellor of Germany. Merkel, elected to the German Parliament from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, has been the chairwoman of the Christian Democratic Union since 10 April 2000, and Chairwoman of the CDU-CSU parliamentary party group from 2002 to 2005...
|
| Gibraltar The 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:...
|
1964 |
yes |
dates |
Peter CaruanaThe Hon. Peter Richard Caruana QC is a Gibraltarian politician, and has been Chief Minister of Gibraltar since 1996, when his party, the Gibraltar Social Democrats , first came to power. His party was re-elected to office in 2000, 2003 and 2007...
|
| Greece |
1833 |
| dates |
Kostas KaramanlisKonstantinos Karamanlis , often shortened to Kostas , is a former Prime Minister of Greece and president of the right-conservative New Democracy party, founded by his uncle Konstantinos Karamanlis...
|
| Greenland |
1979 |
| years |
Kuupik KleistJakob Edvard Kuupik Kleist is a Socialist and Left-wing Greenlandic politician. He became the fifth Prime Minister of Greenland in 2009....
|
| Grenada |
1954 |
| years |
Tillman Thomas Tillman Joseph Thomas is a Grenadian politician, currently serving as Prime Minister of Grenada. He is also the leader of the National Democratic Congress ....
|
| Guernsey The 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, non-executive government. The Policy Council is explicitly not a cabinet and has very little executive...
|
2007 |
| dates |
Lyndon Trott Lyndon Trott is the current Chief Minister of Guernsey. He was elected to the position on 1 May 2008 and his term of office will expire on 30 April 2012. He was re-elected as a Deputy for the electoral district of St. Sampson in the General Election of 2008....
|
| Guinea |
1972 |
| dates |
Kabiné Komara Kabiné Komara is the current Prime Minister of Guinea...
|
| Guinea-Bissau List of Heads of Government of Guinea-Bissau- See also :*Guinea-Bissau**List of heads of state of Guinea-Bissau**List of colonial heads of Portuguese Guinea**List of colonial heads of Bissau**List of colonial heads of Cacheu*lists of incumbents...
|
1973 |
| dates |
Carlos Gomes Júnior Carlos Domingos Gomes Júnior is the Prime Minister of Guinea-Bissau. He was previously Prime Minister from 10 May 2004 to 2 November 2005, and he was again appointed to that post on 25 December 2008...
|
| Guyana |
1953 |
| dates |
Sam Hinds Samuel Archibald Anthony Hinds is a Guyanese politician who has been Prime Minister of Guyana almost continuously since 1992....
|
| Haiti |
1988 |
| dates |
Michèle Pierre-Louis Michèle Duvivier Pierre-Louis is a Haitian political figure who has been Prime Minister of Haiti since 2008. She is Haiti's second female Prime Minister, after Claudette Werleigh, who served from 1995 to 1996....
|
| Hungary |
1848 |
| dates |
Gordon Bajnai György Gordon Bajnai is the current Prime Minister of Hungary. In March 2009, following Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány's announced resignation, Bajnai was nominated by the ruling MSZP party to become Hungary's next prime minister...
|
| Iceland |
1904 |
| dates |
Jóhanna SigurðardóttirJóhanna Sigurðardóttir is an Icelandic politician and the current Prime Minister of Iceland. She had previously been Iceland's Minister of Social Affairs and Social Security from 1987–1994 and 2007–2009. She has been a member of the Althing for Reykjavík constituencies since 1978, winning...
|
IndiaThe Prime Minister of India is the head of government of the Republic of India, and head of the Council of Ministers, appointed by the President to assist the latter in the administration of the affairs of the executive in India...
|
1947 |
yes |
dates |
Manmohan SinghManmohan Singh is the 14th and current Prime Minister of India. He is the first person of Sikh faith to hold the office...
|
| Indonesia |
1945 |
yes |
dates |
(Post Abolished) |
| Iran |
1824 |
| years |
(Post Abolished) |
| Iraq |
1920 |
| years |
Nouri al-MalikiNouri Kamil Mohammed Hasan al-Maliki , also known as Jawad al-Maliki or Abu Esraa, is the Prime Minister of Iraq and the secretary-general of the Islamic Dawa Party. Al-Maliki and his government also succeeded the Iraqi Transitional Government...
|
| Ireland |
1937 |
yes |
dates |
Brian CowenBrian Cowen is the current Taoiseach of Ireland. He took office on 7 May 2008, heading a coalition government led by his Fianna Fáil party that includes the Green Party and the Progressive Democrats, with the support of independent TDs.He has been a Teachta Dála for the constituency of...
|
IsraelThe Prime Minister of Israel is the head of the Israeli government and the most powerful political figure in Israel . The prime minister is the country's chief executive. The official residence of the prime minister, Beit Rosh Hamemshala is in Jerusalem...
|
1948 |
| years |
Benjamin NetanyahuBenjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu is the current Prime Minister of Israel. He previously held the same position from June 1996 to July 1999 and is currently the Chairman of the Likud Party....
|
| Italy |
1861 |
| years |
Silvio Berlusconiis an Italian politician, entrepreneur, real estate and insurance tycoon, bank and media proprietor, sports team owner and songwriter. He is the longest-serving Prime Minister of the Italian Republic , a position he has held on three separate occasions: from 1994 to 1995, from 2001 to 2006 and...
|
| Jamaica The Prime Minister of Jamaica is Jamaica's head of government, currently Bruce Golding. Bruce Golding was elected as the new leader of the governing Jamaica Labour Party and succeeded Portia Simpson-Miller to become Jamaica's eighth Prime Minister on 11 September 2007...
|
1959 |
| years |
Bruce GoldingOrette Bruce Golding MP is the Prime Minister of Jamaica and leader of the Jamaica Labour Party. Golding became Prime Minister following his party's slim victory in the 3 September 2007 general election and Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller's concession of defeat two days later. He was sworn...
|
| Japan |
1885 |
| dates |
Yukio Hatoyama is a Japanese politician who has been Prime Minister of Japan since September 2009. First elected to the House of Representatives in 1986, Hatoyama became President of the Democratic Party of Japan , the main opposition party, in May 2009. He then led the party to victory in the August 2009 general...
|
| Jersey The Chief Minister of Jersey is the head of government of Jersey. The head of government is not elected by the people but rather by secret ballot in the legislature ....
|
2005 |
| dates |
Terry Le Sueur Terry Le Sueur is the Chief Minister of Jersey.He was born at Millbrook, Saint Helier, in 1942, and was educated at De La Salle College, Jersey and Oxford University, where he was the King Charles Exhibitioner at Jesus College; and read physics...
|
| Jordan |
1944 |
| dates |
Nader al-Dahabi Nader Dahabi born 1946 in Amman to Jordanian parents, is a Jordanian politician and military figure, who was named prime minister on 25 November 2007...
|
| Kazakhstan -Chairmen of the Council of People's Commissars:*Viktor Alekseyevich Radus-Zenkovich *Mukhamedkhafiy Murzagaliyev *Saken Seyfullin...
|
1920 |
| years |
Karim Masimov |
| Kenya The Prime Minister of Kenya is a post in the Kenyan government re-created in the aftermath of the 2007–2008 Kenyan crisis.The position was first created under the Dominion of Kenya, in which Jomo Kenyatta was Prime Minister...
|
1963 |
| dates |
Raila OdingaRaila Amollo Odinga is a Kenyan politician, currently serving as the Prime Minister of Kenya in a coalition government. He has served as a Member of Parliament for Langata since 1992, was Minister of Energy from 2001 to 2002, and was Minister of Roads, Public Works and Housing from 2003 to 2005...
|
| North Korea |
1948 |
| years |
Kim Yong-il Kim Yong-Il is the current Premier of North Korea. He was elected as Premier by the 5th session of the 11th Supreme People's Assembly in April 2007, replacing Pak Pong-ju....
|
South KoreaThe Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea is, according to the Constitution of the Republic of Korea, the head of government of the nation. He is appointed by the President with the National Assembly's approval...
|
1948 |
| years |
Han Seung-soo |
| Kuwait |
1962 |
| dates |
Sheikh Sheikh, also rendered as Sheik, Shaykh, Shaikh, Cheikh, Šeih, Šejh and other variants , is a word or honorific term in the Arabic language that literally means "elder". It is commonly used to designate an elder of a tribe, a revered wise man, or an Islamic scholar...
Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Ahmed Al-SabahSheikh Nasser Mohammed Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah is the Prime Minister of Kuwait. He was appointed Prime Minister on February 7, 2006 by the Amir, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. In 1964, Sheikh Nasser graduated from the University of Geneva with a BA degree in Political Science and Economics...
|
| Kyrgyzstan The prime minister of Kyrgyzstan is the head of government of Kyrgyzstan. Generally, the president is in a stronger position than the prime minister in Kyrgyzstan. The president is allowed to appoint the prime minister temporarily, and his appointment is known as the acting prime minister...
|
1924 |
| dates |
Igor Chudinov Igor Vitalyevich Chudinov is the current Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan. He was appointed to that position on December 24, 2007, following the resignation of Iskenderbek Aidaraliyev...
|
| Laos The Prime Minister of Laos is head of the Government of the People's Democratic Republic of Laos .This is a list of prime ministers of Laos....
|
1941 |
| years |
Bouasone Bouphavanh Bouasone Bouphavanh is the prime minister of Laos. He was officially appointed to the office by the National Assembly of Laos on June 8, 2006, during a major government reshuffle. He replaced Bounnhang Vorachith who became vice president...
|
| Latvia The Prime Minister of Latvia is the most powerful member of the Government of the Republic of Latvia, and presides over the Latvian Cabinet of Ministers...
|
1918 |
yes |
dates |
Ivars GodmanisIvars Godmanis is a Latvian politician. He was the first Prime Minister of Latvia after the country became independent from the Soviet Union, and he became a Prime Minister for the second time in December 2007....
|
| Lebanon |
1926 |
| dates |
Fouad SinioraFouad Siniora is the Prime Minister of Lebanon, a position he held from 19 July, 2005 to May 25, 2008, the date of the election of the new President of Lebanon; he was renominated to the post on 28 May 2008 and held the post as Acting President between those dates.-Early...
|
| Lesotho -Heads of Government:-See also:*List of kings of Lesotho*lists of incumbents...
|
1965 |
yes |
dates |
Pakalitha Mosisili Bethuel Pakalitha Mosisili has been the Prime Minister of Lesotho since May 29, 1998. He led his party, the Lesotho Congress for Democracy , to a near-total victory in the 1998 election, and under his leadership the party also won majorities in the 2002 and 2007 elections...
|
| Libya |
1951 |
| dates |
Baghdadi Mahmudi al-Baghdadi Ali al-Mahmudi was appointed General Secretary of the General People's Committee of Libya on 5 March, 2006 in succession to Shukri Ghanem...
|
| Liechtenstein |
1921 |
yes |
dates |
Klaus TschütscherDr. iur. Klaus Tschütscher is the current Head of Government of Liechtenstein. His portfolios are Economy, Justice and Sport. Tschütscher belongs to the Patriotic Union....
|
| Lithuania The Prime Minister of Lithuania is the head of the executive arm of Lithuania's government, and is chosen by the Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas. The modern office of Prime Minister was established in 1990, although the official title was "Chairperson of the Council of Ministers" until 25...
|
1918 |
yes |
dates |
Andrius KubiliusAndrius Kubilius is the current Prime Minister of Lithuania. He already served as the Prime Minister back in 1999...
|
| Luxembourg |
1959 |
| years |
Jean-Claude JunckerJean-Claude Juncker is a Luxembourgian politician, the leader of the Christian Social People's Party. He is the incumbent Prime Minister of Luxembourg, having succeeded Jacques Santer on January 20, 1995. He is also currently Luxembourg's Minister for Finances, a position that he has held since...
|
| Macedonia -Minister for Macedonia :Emanuel Cuckov -Chairmen of the Executive Council:*Lazar Koliševski *Ljupco Arsov *Aleksandar Grlickov...
|
1943 |
yes |
dates |
Nikola GruevskiNikola Gruevski has been the Prime Minister of the Republic of Macedonia since 27 August 2006. He has also been the leader of VMRO-DPMNE since May 2003. He was Minister of Finance in the VMRO-DPMNE government led by Ljubčo Georgievski until September 2002.- Personal life :Gruevski completed...
|
| Madagascar |
1833 |
| dates |
Charles RabemananjaraCharles Rabemananjara is a former Prime Minister of Madagascar. He took office on 20 January 2007 at the beginning of the second term of President Marc Ravalomanana...
|
| Malawi List of Heads of Government of MalawiAffiliations:-
MCP = Malawi Congress Party nationalist, authoritarian, sole legal party 1966-1993
UDF = United Democratic Front liberal...
|
1963 |
yes |
dates |
(Post Abolished) |
MalaysiaThe Prime Minister of Malaysia is the indirectly elected head of government of Malaysia. He is formally appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the head of state, and is invariably the leader of the largest party in the House of Representatives, the elected lower house of Parliament...
|
1957 |
yes |
years |
Najib Tun RazakDato' Seri Mohd. Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak is the sixth and current Prime Minister of Malaysia. He previously held the post of Deputy Prime Minister from January 7, 2004 until he succeeded Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as Prime Minister on April 3, 2009. Najib is a member of the United Malays...
|
| Mali List of Heads of Government of MaliAffiliations:-
ADM = "Adema" Alliance pour la Démocratie en Mali-Parti Pan-Africain pour la Liberté, la Solidarité et la Justice centrist
CCD = Coalition for Change and Democracy
PARENA = Party for...
|
1957 |
yes |
dates |
Modibo SidibéModibo Sidibé has been the Prime Minister of Mali since September 2007. He is the brother of economist and former Prime Minister Mandé Sidibé....
|
MaltaThe Prime Minister of Malta is the head of the executive branch of the Republic of Malta. The Prime Minister is the Head of Government assisted by his cabinet in day to day running of the country and a minister in his own right...
|
1921 |
yes |
years |
Lawrence GonziLawrence Gonzi is the incumbent Prime Minister of Malta. He is also the leader of the Nationalist Party . He became Prime Minister on 23 March 2004, following the resignation of Eddie Fenech Adami and reconfirmed in 10th March 2008 following another Nationalist victory at the polls on 8th March...
|
| Isle of Man The Chief Minister is the Executive Member of the Isle of Man's parliament; Tynwald. The Chief Minister is elected by Members of Tynwald after a General Election for a term in office of five years. The incumbent is eligible to stand again at the end of their term . The post of Chief Minister was...
|
1986 |
| years |
Tony Brown Manxman James Anthony "Tony" Brown is the current Chief Minister of the Isle of Man and Member of the House of Keys for Castletown.Tony Brown was educated at Castle Rushen and has since been an electrician, still being the proprietor of Tony Brown Electrics in Castletown...
|
| Mauritania -Heads of government:-Affiliations:
-See also:*Mauritania**Heads of State of Mauritania**Colonial Heads of Mauritania*Lists of office-holders...
|
1957 |
yes |
dates |
Moulaye Ould Mohamed LaghdafMoulaye Ould Mohamed Laghdaf has served as the Prime Minister of Mauritania since August 2008.Laghdaf was born in Néma. An engineer and a member of the Tajakant tribe, he became Mauritania's Ambassador to Belgium and the European Union in 2006 before being appointed as Prime Minister by junta...
|
| Mauritius |
1961 |
yes |
dates |
Navin RamgoolamNavinchandra Ramgoolam , GCSK,MP is the current Prime Minister of Mauritius. He first held this office from 1995 to 2000, and was reappointed in 2005, after his Alliance Sociale defeated the Mauritian Militant...
|
| Moldova |
1990 |
| dates |
Zinaida Greceanîi Zinaida Greceanîi or Zinaida Grecianii is a Moldovan politician. She is a member of the Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova and was the Prime Minister of Moldova between 31 March 2008 and 14 September 2009...
|
| 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...
|
1911 |
n/a |
dates |
Jean-Paul Proust Jean-Paul Proust is the current Minister of State of Monaco.He has held that position since June 1 2005 , having been appointed three months earlier by the prince and the French government...
|
| Mongolia The Prime Minister of Mongolia is the highest member of the Mongolian government's executive arm, and heads the Mongolian cabinet. The Prime Minister is appointed by Parliament, and can be removed by a vote of no confidence....
|
1912 |
yes |
dates |
Sanjaagiin Bayar Sanjaagiin Bayar is a Mongolian politician and the current Prime Minister of Mongolia.- Life :Bayar was born in Ulan Bator, the capital of Mongolia. He is twice divorced, and has 4 children....
|
| Montenegro Prime Minister of Montenegro, is the leader of the Government of Montenegro. The prime minister directs the work of the Government, and submits to the Parliament of Montenegro the Government's Program including a list of proposed ministers...
|
1879 |
yes |
dates |
Milo Đukanović |
| Montserrat The Chief Minister of Montserrat is the head of government of Montserrat, an island in the Caribbean which is currently an overseas territory of the United Kingdom. As a result, the head of state of Montserrat is not the Chief Minister, but Queen Elizabeth II, who is the head of state of the United...
|
1960 |
yes |
dates |
Lowell Lewis The Honourable Lowell Lyttleton Lewis is a politician , a former Chief Minister of Montserrat. He took office on 2 June 2006 and headed a coalition government consisting of the Montserrat Democratic Party , which he leads, the former ruling New People's Liberation Movement , and an independent...
|
MoroccoThe Prime Minister is the head of the government of Morocco but the Prime Minister is appointed by the King of Morocco as the Monarch is the head of the state....
|
1955 |
yes |
years |
Abbas El Fassi Abbas El Fassi has served as the Prime Minister of Morocco since September 19, 2007. El Fassi, a member of the Istiqlal Party, replaced independent Driss Jettou.El Fassi was born in Berkane, Morocco on September 18, 1940...
|
| Mozambique List of Heads of Government of MozambiqueAffiliations:-
FRELIMO = Frente da Libertação de Moçambique
...
|
1974 |
yes |
dates |
Luisa Diogo Luísa Dias Diogo has been Prime Minister of Mozambique since February 2004. She replaced Pascoal Mocumbi, who had been Prime Minister for the previous nine years. Before becoming Prime Minister, she was Minister of Planning and Finance, and she continued to hold that post until February 2005. She...
|
| Myanmar (Burma) The Prime Minister of Burma is the head of government of Burma, also called Myanmar.The term Prime Minister was adopted in 1948. Since then, ten people have held the office since that point...
|
1948 |
yes |
dates |
Thein SeinGeneral Thein Sein ) is the current prime minister of Burma . He was appointed in April 2007 by nation's ruling military junta as interim prime minister, replacing Soe Win, who was undergoing medical treatment...
|
| Namibia -Prime Ministers of Namibia :-See also:*Namibia**Politics of Namibia**List of colonial heads of Namibia **List of Presidents of Namibia**List of current government ministers of Namibia*Lists of Incumbents...
|
1990 |
yes |
dates |
Nahas Angula Nahas Gideon Angula is the current Prime Minister of Namibia. He entered into office on March 21 2005, when his appointment was announced by new president Hifikepunye Pohamba during the latter's inauguration. Angula received both a master's degree and a master's degree in education from Columbia...
|
| Nepal |
1953 |
| dates |
Madhav Kumar NepalMadhav Kumar Nepal born March 6, 1953) is a Nepali politician and the current Prime Minister of Nepal; he took office on May 25, 2009. He was previously the General Secretary of Communist Party of Nepal for 15 years. He is also known in Nepal as MaKuNe for Madhav Kumar Nepal.-Early life:M.K...
|
NetherlandsThe prime minister of the Netherlands is the chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Netherlands. He is the de facto head of government of the Netherlands and coordinates the policy of the government. The current prime minister is Jan Peter Balkenende.-Role:Because of his or her limited powers,...
(List) |
1848 |
yes |
dates |
Jan Peter BalkenendeJan Peter Balkenende is a Dutch Christian Democratic politician who has been the Prime Minister of the Netherlands since 22 July 2002, currently leading his Fourth cabinet, which is scheduled to be in office until 2011.-Early years:...
|
| Netherlands Antilles |
1954 |
yes |
years |
Emily de Jongh-Elhage Emily Saïdy de Jongh-Elhage has been Prime Minister of the Netherlands Antilles since 26 March 2006.She is also leader of the Party for the Restructured Antilles.-Personal background:...
|
New ZealandThe Prime Minister of New Zealand is New Zealand's head of government consequent on being the leader of the party or coalition with majority support in the Parliament of New Zealand...
|
1856 |
yes |
dates |
John KeyJohn Phillip Key is the 38th and current Prime Minister of New Zealand and leader of the New Zealand National Party.John Key entered the New Zealand House of Representatives in 2002 representing the north-west Auckland constituency of Helensville as a National MP, a seat that he has held since then...
|
| Newfoundland |
1855 |
yes |
dates |
(Post Abolished) |
| Niue The Premier of Niue is Niue's head of government. He or she is elected by the Niue Assembly, and forms a Cabinet consisting of him- or herself and three other members of the Assembly....
|
1974 |
| dates |
Toke Talagi Toke Tufukia Talagi is the current premier of Niue. He was elected premier by the Niue Assembly in June 19, 2008, defeating the standing premier Young Vivian by fourteen votes to five, with one abstaining....
|
| Niger -List of Heads of Government of Niger:-Affiliations:- See also :*Niger*List of colonial heads of Niger*Heads of State of Niger*Lists of Incumbents...
|
1958 |
yes |
dates |
Seyni Oumarou Seyni Oumarou is a Nigerien politician who was Prime Minister of Niger from June 2007 to September 2009. He is from the west of the country and is a member of the Djerma ethnic group. Since November 2008, he has been the President of the National Movement for the Development of Society .-Early...
|
| Norfolk Island -List of Heads of Government of Norfolk Island:...
|
1896 |
| dates |
Andre Nobbs Andre Neville Nobbs is a political figure from the Australian territory of Norfolk Island.-Chief Minister of Norfolk Island:He is the Chief Minister of Norfolk Island. He was appointed to that position as of 28 March 2007, succeeding David Buffett....
|
| Norway |
1814 |
yes |
years |
Jens Stoltenbergis the Prime Minister of Norway. He took office in October 2005; having previously served as Prime Minister from 2000 to 2001. He has also been the leader of the Norwegian Labour Party since 2002 and has been a Member of Parliament from Oslo since 1993...
|
| Pakistan |
1947 |
| dates |
Yousaf Raza GillaniMakhdoom Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani is the 26th and current Prime Minister of Pakistan. He was previously Speaker of the National Assembly and a Federal Minister...
|
| Palestinian National Authority |
2003 |
yes |
dates |
Salam FayyadSalam Fayyad is a Palestinian politician and the current Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority after being reappointed on 19 May 2009. His first appointment, on 15 June 2007, was justified by President Mahmoud Abbas on the basis of "national emergency", has not been confirmed by the...
|
| Papua New Guinea |
1975 |
yes |
years |
Sir Michael SomareHis Excellency Grand Chief the Right Honourable Sir Michael Thomas Somare, GCL, GCMG, CH, CF, MP has been Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea since 2002; he was previously Prime Minister from independence in 1975 until 1980 and again from 1982 until 1985. Somare's first two terms were as a member of...
|
| Peru |
1975 |
yes |
dates |
Yehude SimonYehude Simon Munaro is a Peruvian politician born in Lima and former Prime Minister of Peru. When he was a child his family moved to Chiclayo to further a business selling shoes...
|
| Philippines The Prime Minister of the Philippines was the official position of the head of the government of the Philippines...
|
1899 |
yes |
dates |
(Post Abolished) |
| Poland |
1917 |
| dates |
Donald TuskDonald Franciszek Tusk is a center-right Polish politician, co-founder and chairman of the Civic Platform , and the Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland....
|
| Portugal |
1834 |
yes |
dates |
José SócratesJosé Sócrates Carvalho Pinto de Sousa, GCIH , commonly known simply as José Sócrates, is the Prime Minister of Portugal and Secretary-General of the Socialist Party. Sócrates became Prime Minister on 12 March 2005. For the second half of 2007, he acted as the President-in-Office of...
|
| Qatar |
1972 |
| dates |
Sheikh Sheikh, also rendered as Sheik, Shaykh, Shaikh, Cheikh, Šeih, Šejh and other variants , is a word or honorific term in the Arabic language that literally means "elder". It is commonly used to designate an elder of a tribe, a revered wise man, or an Islamic scholar...
Hamad ibn Jassim ibn Jabr Al Thani |
| Romania |
1862 |
| years |
Emil BocEmil Boc is a Romanian politician. He is the acting Prime Minister of Romania, having served since December 2008. In June 2004, he was elected Mayor of Cluj-Napoca, the largest city in Transylvania. Boc is also the president of the Democratic Liberal Party, who designated him as Prime Minister in...
|
RussiaThe Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation is the second most powerful official of the Russian Federation, who, under Article 24 of the Federal Constitutional Law On the Government of the Russian Federation, "heads the Government of the Russian Federation".Nowhere in the Russian Law...
|
1864/1906 |
yes |
dates |
Vladimir PutinVladimir Vladimirovich Putin was the second President of Russia and is the current Prime Minister of Russia as well as chairman of United Russia and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Union of Russia and Belarus...
|
| Rwanda This page contains a list of the Prime Ministers of Rwanda....
|
1960 |
yes |
dates |
Bernard Makuza Bernard Makuza is the current Prime Minister of Rwanda. He has been Prime Minister since 8 March 2000. An ethnic Hutu, Makuza was a member of the Democratic Republican Movement before allegations were made that the party promoted genocide...
|
| Saint Kitts and Nevis |
1960 |
| dates |
Denzil Douglas Denzil Llewellyn Douglas was sworn in as the Second Prime Minister of the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis immediately following the Saint Kitts and Nevis Labour Party's election victory in July 1995.-Early life and pre-political career:...
|
| Saint Lucia |
1960 |
| dates |
Stephenson King Stephenson King is a Saint Lucian politician who is currently the country's Prime Minister. He represents the constituency of Castries North for the United Workers Party in the House of Assembly of Saint Lucia...
|
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines |
1956 |
| dates |
Ralph GonsalvesRalph Everard Gonsalves , also known as "Comrade Ralph", is the Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines. He has held that position since March 29 2001. He is leader of the Unity Labour Party, and won the 2001 general elections by a landslide of 12 seats to 3, after a close run in the 1998...
|
| Samoa The Prime Minister of Samoa is the head of government in Samoa.-List of Prime Ministers of Samoa:-See also:*Samoa**Politics of Samoa**List of colonial heads of Samoa**O le Ao o le Malo*Lists of Incumbents...
|
1875 |
yes |
dates |
Tuila'epa Sailele Malielegaoi |
| São Tomé and Principe |
1974 |
yes |
dates |
Joaquim Rafael Branco Joaquim Rafael Branco is a São Toméan politician. He is the President of the Movement for the Liberation of São Tomé and Príncipe/Social Democratic Party .Branco served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2000 to 2001...
|
| Senegal The Prime Minister of Senegal is the head of government of Senegal. The Prime Minister is appointed by the President of Senegal, who is directly elected for a five year term. The Prime Minister, in turn, appoints the Senegalese cabinet, after consultation with the President.This is a list of the...
|
1957 |
yes |
dates |
Cheikh Hadjibou Soumaré Cheikh Hadjibou Soumaré is a former Prime Minister of Senegal. He served from June 19, 2007 until April 30, 2009.Soumaré was born in Dakar and raised in Thiès...
|
| Serbia |
1805 |
yes |
years |
Mirko CvetkovićMirko Cvetković is a Serbian economist and the current Prime Minister of Serbia.-Biography:...
|
SingaporeThe Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore is the head of government of the Republic of Singapore...
|
1959 |
| dates |
Lee Hsien LoongLee Hsien Loong is the third and current Prime Minister of Singapore. Lee Hsien Loong is married to Ho Ching, who is the former Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the government-owned Temasek Holdings...
|
| Slovakia |
1918 |
| dates |
Robert FicoRobert Fico is the current Prime Minister of Slovakia .His relatively new left-wing party Direction – Social Democracy was the winner of the parliamentary elections in 2006, receiving approximately 30 percent of the cast votes...
|
| Slovenia There have been five prime ministers of Slovenia since that country gained its independence in the breakup of Yugoslavia. Unlike the President of Slovenia, who is directly elected, the Prime Minister is appointed by Parliament, and must control a majority there in order to govern.-Prime...
|
1943 |
yes |
years |
Borut PahorBorut Pahor is a Slovenian politician. He is the current Prime Minister of Slovenia and president of the Social Democrats party.- Biography :...
|
| Solomon Islands The Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands is the Solomon Islands' head of government, consequent on being the leader of the party or coalition with majority support in the National Parliament. The Solomon Islands are a Commonwealth realm. Since 20 December 2007, the Prime Minister has been Derek...
|
1949 |
yes |
dates |
Derek SikuaDavid Derek Sikua has been the Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands since December 20, 2007.-Career:Sikua is from Ngalitavethi Village in Guadalcanal Province...
|
| Somalia This page contains a list of the Prime Ministers of Somalia.-See also:*Somalia**Politics of Somalia**List of colonial heads of British Somaliland**List of colonial heads of Italian Somaliland**Heads of state of Somalia*Lists of office-holders...
|
1949 |
yes |
dates |
Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke , born June 18, 1960, is a Somali diplomat and politician. He is the current Prime Minister of Somalia.-Biography:...
|
| South Africa |
1910 |
| dates |
(Post Abolished) |
| Spain |
1705 |
yes |
years |
Jose Luis Rodriguez ZapateroJosé Luis Rodríguez Zapatero , better known by his maternal surname Zapatero or ZP, is the current President of the Government of Spain...
|
| Sri Lanka |
1948 |
| dates |
Ratnasiri Wickremanayake Ratnasiri Wickremanayake MP is the 14th Prime Minister of Sri Lanka and a veteran politician National List member of the Parliament of Sri Lanka. He was sworn in as Prime Minister of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka by the President Mahinda Rajapakse on November 21, 2005...
|
| Sudan - List of heads of government of The Sudan :- Political affiliations :*NUP - National Unionist Party*SSU - Sudanese Socialist Union*UMMA - Umma Party*Mil - Military*n-p - Non-partisan...
|
1952 |
yes |
dates |
(Post Abolished) |
| Swaziland -Heads of Government:-See also:*List of Kings of Swaziland*lists of incumbents...
|
1967 |
| years |
Barnabas Sibusiso Dlamini Barnabas Sibusiso Dlamini is Prime Minister of Swaziland. He was Prime Minister from 1996 to 2003 and has held the position again since October 2008....
|
SwedenThe Prime Minister is the head of government in Sweden. Before 1876, when the office of Prime Minister was instituted, Sweden did not have a formal head of government...
|
1876 |
yes |
years |
Fredrik ReinfeldtJohn Fredrik Reinfeldt is the current Prime Minister of Sweden, leader of the liberal conservative Moderate Party and the current President of the European Council....
|
| Syria |
1920 |
| dates |
Muhammad Naji al-Otari Muhammad Naji al-Otari is the current prime minister of Syria. His nomination has been said to combine both "technocratic and Baathist trends" in Syrian politics.-Earlier career:...
|
| China (ROC) The President of the Executive Yuan , commonly known as the Premier of The Republic of China , is the head of the Executive Yuan, the executive branch of the Republic of China , which currently administers Taiwan, Matsu, and Kinmen. The premier is appointed by the President of the Republic of China...
|
1911 |
| dates |
Liu Chao-shiuanLiu Chao-shiuan is a Taiwanese politician, an educator, and a former Premier of the Republic of China. Liu is also former President of Soochow University and also of the National Tsing Hua University.-Biography:Liu was born in Liuyang, Hunan in 1943...
|
| Tajikistan |
1924 |
| dates |
Okil Okilov Okil Ghaybulloyevich Okilov or Oqil Oqilov has served as the Prime Minister of Tajikistan since 20 December 1999. He is a member of the People's Democratic Party of Tajikistan.-References:* International Who's Who, accessed September 3, 2006....
|
| Tanzania |
1960 |
yes |
dates |
Mizengo Pinda Mizengo Kayanza Peter Pinda is a Tanzanian politician who has been Prime Minister of Tanzania since February 2008.Pinda was born in the Rukwa Region. He holds a degree in law from the University of Dar es Salaam, which he earned in 1974.He was Assistant Private Secretary to the President from 1982...
|
| Thailand |
1932 |
| dates |
Abhisit VejjajivaAbhisit Vejjajiva is the 27th and current Prime Minister of Thailand. He has been the leader of the Democrat Party since February 2005....
|
| Togo -List of Heads of Government of Togo:-Political affiliations:*CAR *CFN *CPP...
|
1956 |
yes |
dates |
Gilbert Houngbo Gilbert Fossoun Houngbo is a Togolese political figure who has been Prime Minister of Togo since 8 September 2008.Houngbo holds an advanced degree in business management from the University of Lomé in Togo, as well as a degree in accounting and finance from the Université du Québec à...
|
| Tokelau The office of head of government of Tokelau , often simply called the Ulu , rotates yearly between the faipule of Tokelau's three atolls.-List:...
|
1992 |
| dates |
Pio Tuia Pio Tuia was five times Ulu o Tokelau, head of government of Tokelau. The position of ulu rotates annually between the three faipule , who are elected for terms lasting three years. Tuia served as ulu for the fifth time from 2008 to 2009 and is the faipule of Nukunonu...
|
| Tonga This is a list of Prime Ministers of Tonga from the establishment of that office in 1876 until the present day.-External links:*...
|
1876 |
| years |
Feleti Sevele Feleti Vakauta Sevele is the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Tonga.-Early life:Sevele was born in Ma’ufanga, Nuku’alofa. He began his high school education at Apifoou College in Tonga, then went to school in Fiji at St John's College in Levuka on the island of Ovalau, and the Marist Brothers...
|
| Trinidad and Tobago |
1956 |
| dates |
Patrick Manning Patrick Augustus Mervyn Manning is the current Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, as well as the Political Leader of the People's National Movement . He served as Prime Minister from 17 December 1991 to 9 November 1995 and has held that office again since 24 December 2001; he was also the...
|
| Tunisia The Prime Minister of Tunisia is the head of government of Tunisia. The Prime Minister is appointed by the President of Tunisia. The incumbent Prime Minister is Mohammed Ghannouchi...
|
1969 |
| dates |
Mohamed Ghannouchi Mohamed Ghannouchi is the thirty-second Prime Minister of Tunisia, a position he has held since 17 November 1999. He is also a member of the Tunisian parliament for the Democratic Constitutional Rally....
|
| Turkmenistan -Chairmen of the Council of People's Commissars:*Kaikhaziz Sardarovich Atabayev *Aitbay Khudaybergenov *Sukhan Babayevich Babayev...
|
1924 |
| dates |
(Post Abolished) |
| Turkey |
1920 |
yes |
dates |
Recep Tayyip ErdoğanRecep Tayyip Erdoğan is a Turkish politician, a former mayor of Istanbul and the Prime Minister of the Republic of Turkey since 14 March, 2003...
|
| Turks and Caicos Islands This is a list of Chief Ministers and Premiers of the Turks and Caicos Islands.-Chief Ministers of the Turks and Caicos Islands:-Premiers of the Turks and Caicos Islands:...
|
1976 |
yes |
dates |
Galmo Williams The Honourable Oliver Galmo Williams was the Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands from 23 March 2009 to 14 August 2009.-Early life:...
|
| Tuvalu The Prime Minister of Tuvalu is the head of government of Tuvalu. According to Tuvalu's constitution, the Prime Minister must always be a member of Parliament, and is elected by Parliament in a secret ballot. Because there are no political parties in Tuvalu, any member of Parliament can be...
|
1975 |
n/a |
dates |
Apisai IelemiaApisai Ielemia is a political figure from the Pacific nation of Tuvalu. He has been Prime Minister of Tuvalu since 2006.-Background:Ielemia was elected to serve in the Parliament of Tuvalu by the constituency of Vaitupu on a non-partisan basis: his lack of alignment is not unusual in the politics...
|
| Uganda -History:The position of Prime Minister was first used in Uganda after independence was declared in 1962. A republic was formed in 1963 with Mutesa II as president by prime minister Milton Obote. In 1966, Obote suspended the constitution and declared himself president...
|
1961 |
yes |
dates |
Apolo Nsibambi Apolo Robin Nsibambi is a Ugandan academician and politician. He is the current Prime Minister of Uganda, a post he has held since April 5, 1999. He is also an ex-official member of the Ugandan Parliament.-Background:...
|
| Ukraine The Prime Minister of Ukraine is Ukraine's head of government presiding over the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, which is the highest body of the executive branch of the Ukrainian government....
|
1917 |
| dates |
Yulia TymoshenkoYulia Volodymyrivna Tymoshenko Nee Grigean, born on November 27, 1960 is a Ukrainian politician and current Prime Minister of Ukraine...
|
| United Arab Emirates |
1971 |
| years |
Sheikh Sheikh, also rendered as Sheik, Shaykh, Shaikh, Cheikh, Šeih, Šejh and other variants , is a word or honorific term in the Arabic language that literally means "elder". It is commonly used to designate an elder of a tribe, a revered wise man, or an Islamic scholar...
Mohammed bin Rashid Al MaktoumMohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum , also Sheikh Mohammed, , is the Prime Minister and Vice President of the United Arab Emirates , and the Ruler of Dubai.-Personal life and education:...
|
| United Kingdom |
1721 |
yes |
dates |
Gordon BrownJames Gordon Brown is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party. Brown became Prime Minister in June 2007, after the resignation of Tony Blair and three days after becoming leader of the governing Labour Party...
|
| Uzbekistan According to the Constitution of Uzbekistan, the Prime Minister of Uzbekistan and the deputy ministers are appointed by the President.-Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars:*Fayzulla Ubaydullayevich Khodzhayev...
|
1924 |
| dates |
Shavkat Mirziyoyev |
| Vanuatu The Prime Minister of Vanuatu is the effective head of the government of Vanuatu.The position of Prime Minister was created when Vanuatu obtained its independence in 1980, with independence campaigner Walter Lini becoming the office-holder. The position is sometimes seen as a continuation of the...
|
1980 |
yes |
dates |
Edward Natapei Edward Nipake Natapei Tuta Fanua`araki is a politician from Vanuatu who is currently Prime Minister of Vanuatu, having been elected to the post on September 22, 2008...
|
| Vatican The Cardinal Secretary of State—officially Secretary of State of His Holiness The Pope—presides over the Vatican Secretariat of State, which is the oldest and most important dicastery of the Roman Curia...
|
1644 |
| years |
Tarcisio Cardinal BertoneTarcisio Bertone, SDB is an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He currently serves as Vatican Secretary of State and Camerlengo, having previously served as Archbishop of Vercelli from 1991 to 1995 and Archbishop of Genoa from 2002 to 2006...
|
| Vietnam -Office:The Prime Minister of Vietnam is the head of the executive branch of the Vietnamese government. The Prime Minister presides over the Vietnamese cabinet, and is responsible for appointing and supervising ministers...
|
1976 |
yes |
dates |
Nguyễn Tấn Dũng |
| Yemen The Prime Minister of the Republic of Yemen is the head of government in that country. The current prime minister, Ali Mohammed Mujur, has held the position since 7 April 2007. The Prime Minister is appointed by the President...
|
1990 |
yes |
years |
Ali Muhammad Mujawar |
| Zambia -List of Prime Ministers of Zambia:...
|
1964 |
yes |
dates |
(Post Abolished) |
| Zimbabwe The Prime Minister of Zimbabwe is the head of government in Zimbabwe. From 1980 to 1987, Robert Mugabe was the first person to hold the position following independence from the United Kingdom. He took office when Rhodesia became the Republic of Zimbabwe on April 18, 1980...
|
1923 |
| dates |
Morgan Tsvangirai Morgan Richard Tsvangirai is the Prime Minister of Zimbabwe. He is the President of the Movement for Democratic Change - Tsvangirai and a key figure in the opposition to President Robert Mugabe. Tsvangirai was sworn in as the Prime Minister of Zimbabwe on 11 February 2009...
|
See also
- Chancellor
Chancellor is the title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the Cancellarii of Roman courts of justice—ushers who sat at the cancelli or lattice work screens of a basilica or law court, which separated the judge and counsel from the...
- List of democracy and elections-related topics
- President
President is a title held by many leaders of organizations, companies, trade unions, universities, and countries. Etymologically, a "president" is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
- Monarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy, a form of government in which the country or entity usually ruled or controlled by an individual who usually rules for life or until abdication...
- Governor-General
A governor-general, also known as governor general, is a vice-regal representative of a monarch in an independent realm or a major colonial circonscription...
- Head of state
Head of state is the generic term for the individual or collective office that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state...
- List of national leaders
- Heads of state timeline
- Prime minister of the United States
There is no Prime Minister of the United States, but the term "Prime Minister" has sometimes been applied, either as a pejorative term, a bon mot, or through ignorance, to an official within the government of the United States. In the US, the Speaker of the House holds an equivalent office to a...
(pejorative or unofficial term)
External links