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A minister is a politician who holds significant public office in a national or regional government. Senior ministers are members of the cabinet, usually led by a monarch, governor-general, or president. In constitutional monarchies the sovereign or vice-regal, and in semi-presidential countries the president, is principally advised by a prime minister.
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Origin
The term Minister is an Middle English phrase, stemming from the Old French word ministre, originally minister in Latin, meaning 'servant' 1. In some countries (such as Hong Kong, the Philippines, the UK, and the US), such a person can instead be known as a secretary. The term was and is still also used in diplomacy for second level diplomats (heads of legations).
Selection
In many parliamentary systems of government, especially those using the Westminster system, such as the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, ministers must be selected from the legislature. In presidential systems of government such as the United States and Mexico, ministers are appointed by the president, not drawn from the legislature.
Types of ministers
- Cabinets have ministries in various countries, cf. List of cabinets. Other cabinets are usually included in Politics of ..-articles
- Lists of incumbents groups lists of ministers by country
- Specific ministers:
- Prime minister
- Finance minister
- Foreign minister
- Defence minister
- Information minister
- Interior minister
- Education minister
- Environment minister
- Health minister
- Justice minister
- Culture minister
- Agriculture minister
- Transport minister
- Commerce minister
- Energy minister
- Inland revenue minister
- Public works minister
- sometimes Chancellor
See also
References
Wikipedia content modification information:
- This page was last modified on 16 November 2008, at 16:53.
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