The heads of government of five members of the Commonwealth of Nations at the 1944 Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference.

Head of government is the chief officer of the executive branch of a government, often presiding over a cabinet. In a parliamentary system, the head of government is often styled prime minister, chief minister, premier, etc. In presidential republics or absolute monarchies, the head of government may be the same person as the head of state, who is often also called a president or a monarch.

In semi-presidential systems, the Head of Government may answer to both the Head of State and the legislative power (such as parliament). An example is the French Fifth Republic (1958–present), where the Président de la République appoints a Prime Minister but must choose someone who can get government business through, and has the support of, the National Assembly. When the opposition controls the National Assembly (and thus government funding and most legislation), the President is in effect forced to choose a Prime Minister from the opposition; in such cases, known as cohabitation, the government controls internal state policy, with the President restricted largely to foreign affairs.

Titles of respective heads of government[link]

The most common title for a head of government is "Prime Minister."^{[citation needed]} This is used as a formal title in many states, but also informally a generic term to describe whichever office is formally the first amongst the executive "ministers" of an otherwise styled Head of State, as Minister — Latin for servants or subordinates — is a common title for members of a government (but many other titles are in use, e.g. secretary (of state)).

Formally the "head of state" can also personally be the "head of government" (ex officio or by ad hoc cumulation such as an absolute monarch nominating himself) but otherwise has formal precedence over the Head of Government and other ministers, whether he is their actual political superior (absolute monarch, executive president) or rather theoretical or ceremonial in character. Various constitutions use different titles, and even the same title can have various political meanings depending on the constitution and political system of the state in question.

As political chief[link]

In addition to Prime Minister, titles used for the democratic model, where there is an elected legislative body checking the Head of government, include the following. Some of these titles relate to governments below the national level (e.g. states or provinces)

Alternate English terms & renderings[link]

• Chairman of the Executive Council
• Chief Minister (often sub-national)
• First Minister (often sub-national)
• Minister-President
• Premier (from French premier ministre)
• President of the Cabinet
• President of the Council of Ministers
• President of the Council of State
• President of the Executive Council
• President of the Government
• Prime Minister
• State President (used exclusively in South Africa)

Equivalent titles in other languages[link]

• Bundeskanzler/Chancellor (German)
• In Malaysia, the head of government of the constituent states are expressed in the Malay language (either Ketua Menteri, "chief minister" in the Malaysian states without a monarchy (Malacca, Penang, Sabah and Sarawak), or Menteri Besar "great minister" in the sultanates and other monarchic states).
• Lehendakari (Basque Country)
• Leitender Minister (German, literally 'directing minister')
• Pääministeri (Finnish)
• Statsminister (Scandinavian)
• Taoiseach (Irish)

Under a dominant head of state[link]

In a broader sense, a prime minister can be used loosely to refer to various comparable positions under a Head of State that is an absolute monarch (especially is the case of ancient or feudal eras, so the term "prime minister", in this case, could be considered an anachronism). In this case, the prime minister serves at the pleasure of the monarch and holds no more power than the monarch allows. In some cases a disgraced head of government has even been executed for his failure. Some such titles are:

• Diwan
• Mahamantri
• Pradhan
• Wasir or Grand Vizier

Indirectly referred as the head of state[link]

In some cases, the Head of state is a figurehead whilst the Head of the government leads the ruling party. In some cases a head of government may even pass on the title in hereditary fashion. Such titles include the following:

• Mayor of the Palace of the Merovingian kingdoms
• Nawab wasir of the Mughal Empire (also governor of Awadh)
• Peshwa of Satara and the Maratha empire
• Shogun in the empire of Japan
• Sultan in the original case of the Seljuk Turks who made the Caliphs of Baghdad their puppets; later both styles were often used for absolute rulers in Nepal

Heads of state and government[link]

In some models the head of state and head of government are one and the same. These include:

• President (executive)
• Absolutist monarch reigning and ruling without a prime minister (or nominating himself)
• Chief Magistrate
• Führer (sometimes used in Nazi Germany)

An alternative formula is a single chief political body (e.g. presidium) which collectively leads the government and provides (e.g. by turns) the ceremonial Head of state See Head of State for further explanation of these cases.

Parliamentary heads of government[link]

In parliamentary systems, government functions along the following lines:

• The head of government — usually the leader of the majority party or coalition — forms the government, which is answerable to parliament;
• Full answerability of government to parliament is achieved through
  • The ability of parliament to pass a vote of no confidence.
  • The ability to vote down legislative proposals of the government.
  • Control over or ability to vote down fiscal measures and the 'budget' (or 'supply'); a government is powerless without control of the state finances. In a bicameral system, it is often the so-called lower house, e.g. the British House of Commons that exercises the major elements of control and oversight; in some others, e.g. Australia and Italy, the government is constitutionally or by convention answerable to both chambers/Houses of Parliament.

All of these requirements directly impact the Head of government's role. Consequently, they often play a 'day to day' role in parliament, answering questions and defending the government on the 'floor of the House', while in semi-presidential systems they may not be required to play as much of a role in the functioning of parliament.

Appointment[link]

In many countries, the Head of government is commissioned by the Head of state to form a government, on the basis of the strength of party support in the lower house, in some other states directly elected by parliament. Many parliamentary systems require ministers to serve in parliament, while others ban ministers from sitting in parliament; they must resign on becoming ministers.

Removal[link]

Heads of government are typically removed from power in a parliamentary system by

• Resignation, following:
  • Defeat in a general election.
  • Defeat in a leadership vote at their party caucus, to be replaced by another member of the same party.
  • Defeat in a parliamentary vote on a major issue, e.g. loss of supply, loss of confidence. (In such cases, a head of government may seek a parliamentary dissolution from the Head of state and attempt to regain support by popular vote).
• Dismissal — some constitutions allow a Head of state (or their designated representative, as is the case in Commonwealth countries) to dismiss a Head of government, though its use can be controversial, as occurred in 1975 when then Australian Governor-General, Sir John Kerr, dismissed Prime Minister Gough Whitlam in the Australian Constitutional Crisis.
• Death — in this case, the deputy Head of government typically acts as the head of government until a new head of government is appointed.

First among equals or dominating the cabinet?[link]

Constitutions differ in the range and scope of powers granted to the head of government. Some older constitutions (for example, Australia's 1900 text, and Belgium's 1830 text) do not mention the office of Prime minister at all, the office becoming a de facto reality without formal constitutional status. Some constitutions make a Prime minister primus inter pares (first among equals) and that remains the practical reality in places like Finland and Belgium. Other states however, make their Prime minister a central and dominant figure within the cabinet system; Ireland's Taoiseach, for example, alone can decide when to seek a parliamentary dissolution, in contrast to other countries where this is a cabinet decision, with the Prime Minister just one member voting on the suggestion. Under the Constitution of the United Kingdom, the Prime Minister's role has evolved, based often on the individual's personal appeal and strength of character, as contrasted between, for example, Winston Churchill as against Clement Attlee, Margaret Thatcher as against John Major.

It is alleged that the increased personalisation of leadership in a number of states has led to prime ministers becoming themselves "semi-presidential" figures, due in part to: media coverage of politics that focuses on the leader and his or her mandate, rather than on parliament; and to the increasing centralisation of power in the hands of the Prime minister. Such allegations have been made against two recent British Prime ministers, Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair. They were also made against Canadian prime minister Pierre Trudeau and Chancellor of West Germany (later all of Germany), Helmut Kohl, when in power.

Official residence[link]

The Head of government is often provided with an official residence, in the same way as Heads of state often are. The name of the residence is often used as a metonym or alternate title for 'the government' when the office is politically the highest, e.g. in the UK "Downing Street announced today..."

Well-known official residences of heads of government include:

• 10 Downing Street in London — Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (who also has a country residence Chequers)
• 7 Race Course Road (Panchavati) in New Delhi — Prime Minister of India
• Catshuis — Prime Minister of the Netherlands
• 24 Sussex Drive in Ottawa — Prime Minister of Canada (who also has a country residence Harrington Lake)
• Kantei in Tokyo — Prime Minister of Japan
• Palazzo Chigi in Rome — Prime Minister of Italy
• Kirribilli House in Sydney; and The Lodge in Canberra — Prime Minister of Australia
• Hôtel Matignon in Paris— Prime Minister of France (a grand palace is called a hôtel in French)
• The Lambermont in Brussels — federal Prime Minister of Belgium
• Palacio de la Moncloa in Madrid — President of the Government, Spain
• Premier House in Wellington — Prime Minister of New Zealand
• Kesäranta in Helsinki — Prime Minister of Finland
• Sager House in Stockholm — Prime Minister of Sweden (who also has a country residence Harpsund)
• Zhongnanhai in Beijing — Premier of China

Fuller list in the official residence article.

Similarly the Heads of government of (con)federal entities below the level of the sovereign state (often without an actual Head of state, at least under international law) may also be given an official residence, sometimes used as an opportunity to display its aspirations of statehood. E.g. in Belgium:

• Hotel Errera in Brussels — Minister-president of the Flemish community and region
• Élysette in Namur — Minister-president of the Walloon region

However, Heads of governments' residences are usually far less grand than those (often called palace) of a Head of state (even a merely ceremonial one), unless they combine both roles, as for example:

• The White House (1600 Pennsylvania Avenue) in Washington, D.C. — President of the United States of America

Even the formal representative of the Head of State, such as a Governor-General, may well be housed in a grander palace-type residence, often with such names as Government House.

Statistics[link]

• Main article: Records of heads of government

Current[link]

(as in mid 2011)

• World's longest serving unelected head of government: Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, Prime Minister of Bahrain since 1971.^[1]
• World's longest serving current monarchy head of government: Tage Erlander, Prime Minister of Sweden from 1946 to 1969 (&1000000000000002300000023 years, &100000000000000030000003 days).
• World's longest serving current republican head of government: Lee Kuan Yew, Prime Minister of Singapore from 1965 to 1990 (&1000000000000002500000025 years, &10000000000000111000000111 days).

See also[link]

• Head of state
• List of current heads of state and government
• Official Portraits (book)

Sources and References[link]

• Jean Blondel & Ferdinand Muller-Rommel Cabinets in Western Europe (ISBN 0-333-46209-2)
• WorldStatesmen (click on each country)

Pak Pong-ju (born October 24, 1939, in North Hamgyong) served as the Premier of North Korea since elected by the DPRK's Supreme People's Assembly on September 3, 2003,^[1] until April 11, 2007.

Pak began his career in 1962 as manager of the Yongchon food factory in North Pyong'an Province. He became an alternative member of the ruling Korean Workers' Party (KWP) Central Committee in October 1980, and chief of the Namhung Youth Chemical Combine Committee in July 1983. In May 1993, he became vice director of the KWP's Light Industries Department, and in March 1994, he was the vice director of the party's Economic Policy Supervisory Department. In July of that year, Pak ranked 188th out of 273 members on the funeral committee of the late leader Kim Il-sung, indicating that he was on the periphery of the elite hierarchy. However, in September 1998, he was appointed to the chemical-industries portfolio under premier Hong Song-nam, and replaced him five years later.

On April 11, 2007, the Korean Central News Agency reported that during the 5th session of the 11th Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, Pak Pong-ju was "relieved … of premiership" and Kim Yong-il elected the new premier.^[2] He had not been seen in public since May 2006. It is rumoured that his was removed from office because he misused oil funds to be used for the farming sector,^[3] or that he was too heavily focused on economic development suggestions from the People's Republic of China, instead of home-grown ideas.^[4]

As Premier, Pak Pong-ju was the head of government in the DPRK, and formed the top executive leadership of the DPRK with other executive officials. The other branch of the executive government is the National Defense Commission of North Korea, led by Chairman of the National Defence Commission Kim Jong-il. As premier, he was responsible for organizing the DPRK's cabinet and appointed ministers and vice-premiers upon confirmation by the Supreme People's Assembly.^[5] Prior to becoming Premier, Pak had served as Chemical Industry Minister.

On August 23, 2010, the New York Times reported that Pak Pong-ju "resurfaced at a state function in the capital, Pyongyang, on Saturday, carrying the title of first deputy director of the central committee of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea, according to the North’s state-run Central Broadcasting Station."^[6]

References[link]

v t e Premiers of North Korea Kim Il-sung (as Prime Minister) Kim Il Pak Song-chol Li Jong-ok Kang Song-san Li Gun-mo Yon Hyong-muk Kang Song-san Hong Song-nam Pak Pong-ju Kim Yong-il Choe Yong-rim

Doris Leuthard
Member of the Swiss Federal Council
Incumbent
Assumed office 1 August 2006
Preceded by	Joseph Deiss
Head of the Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications
Incumbent
Assumed office 1 November 2010
Preceded by	Moritz Leuenberger
President of Switzerland
In office 1 January 2010 – 31 December 2010
Vice President	Moritz Leuenberger Micheline Calmy-Rey
Preceded by	Hans-Rudolf Merz
Succeeded by	Micheline Calmy-Rey
Vice President of Switzerland
In office 1 January 2009 – 31 December 2009
President	Hans-Rudolf Merz
Preceded by	Hans-Rudolf Merz
Succeeded by	Moritz Leuenberger
Head of the Department of Economic Affairs
In office 1 August 2006 – 31 October 2010
Preceded by	Joseph Deiss
Succeeded by	Johann Schneider-Ammann
Personal details
Born	(1963-04-10) 10 April 1963 (age 49) Merenschwand, Switzerland
Political party	Christian Democratic People's Party
Spouse(s)	Roland Hausin

Doris Leuthard (born 10 April 1963 in Merenschwand, Aargau) is a Swiss politician and lawyer. Since 1 August 2006, she has been a member of the Swiss Federal Council. From 1 August 2006 till 31 October 2010 she was head of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs (the Swiss economics minister). Since 1 November 2010 she is head of the Federal Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications. She was elected President of the Confederation for 2010.^[1]

Leuthard was a member of the Swiss National Council from 1999 to 2006 and President of the Christian Democratic People's Party (CVP/PDC) (2004–2006).

Following the resignation of Joseph Deiss from the Swiss Federal Council, Leuthard was elected as his successor on 14 June 2006. She received 133 out of 234 valid votes, and became the 109th member (and fifth woman) of the Federal Council. Her election represented a departure from a long precedent of replacing a member of the Federal Council with someone from the same language group. While Deiss was a French speaker, Leuthard is a German speaker.

In 2009, Leuthard was elected Vice President of the Swiss Confederation, virtually assuring her election as president in 2010. Due to a large amount of turnover on the Council in recent years, she was the longest-serving councilor not to have served as president.

As President of the Confederation, Leuthard presided over meetings of the Federal Council and carries out representative functions that would normally be handled by a head of state in other democracies (though in Switzerland, the Federal Council as a whole is regarded as the head of state). She is also the highest-ranking official in the Swiss order of precedence, and can act on behalf of the whole Council in emergency situations. However, in most cases, Leuthard is merely primus inter pares, with no power above and beyond her six colleagues.

Following a reshuffle of portfolios after the by-election of two new councilors in 2010, Leuthard replaced outgoing Moritz Leuenberger at the head of the Federal Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications.^[2]

See also[link]

• Swiss Federal Council elections of 14 June 2006
• List of current Vice Presidents

References[link]

External links[link]

Media related to Doris Leuthard at Wikimedia Commons

• Profile of Doris Leuthard with election results on the website of the Swiss Federal Council.

• Biography of Doris Leuthard on the website of the Swiss Parliament. (German)
• Address by Doris Leuthard (as President of Switzerland) at the General Debate of the 65th Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations, 23 September 2010: video (in French); written translation of the statement into English
• Andreas Steigmeier: Doris Leuthard in German, French and Italian in the online Historical Dictionary of Switzerland, 2006-09-26.

v t e Presidents of Switzerland (list) 1848 – 1874 Furrer · Druey · Munzinger · Furrer · Naeff · Frey-Herosé · Furrer · Stämpfli · Fornerod · Furrer · Stämpfli · Frey-Herosé · Knüsel · Stämpfli · Fornerod · Dubs · Schenk · Knüsel · Fornerod · Dubs · Welti · Dubs · Schenk · Welti · Cérésole · Schenk 1875 – 1899 Scherer · Welti · Heer · Schenk · Hammer · Welti · Anderwert · Droz · Bavier · Ruchonnet · Welti · Schenk · Deucher · Droz · Hertenstein · Hammer · Ruchonnet · Welti · Hauser · Schenk · Frey · Zemp · Lachenal · Deucher · Ruffy · Müller 1900 – 1924 Hauser · Brenner · Zemp · Deucher · Comtesse · Ruchet · Forrer · Müller · Brenner · Deucher · Comtesse · Ruchet · Forrer · Müller · Hoffmann · Motta · Decoppet · Schulthess · Calonder · Ador · Motta · Schulthess · Haab · Scheurer · Chuard 1925 – 1949 Musy · Häberlin · Motta · Schulthess · Haab · Musy · Häberlin · Motta · Schulthess · Pilet-Golaz · Minger · Meyer · Motta · Baumann · Etter · Pilet-Golaz · Wetter · Etter · E. Celio · Stampfli · von Steiger · Kobelt · Etter · E. Celio · Nobs 1950 – 1974 Petitpierre · Steiger · Kobelt · Etter · Rubattel · Petitpierre · Feldmann · Streuli · Holenstein · Chaudet · Petitpierre · Wahlen · Chaudet · Spühler · von Moos · Tschudi · Schaffner · Bonvin · Spühler · von Moos · Tschudi · Gnägi · N. Celio · Bonvin · Brugger 1975 – 1999 Graber · Gnägi · Furgler · Ritschard · Hürlimann · Chevallaz · Furgler · Honegger · Aubert · Schlumpf · Furgler · Egli · Aubert · Stich · Delamuraz · Koller · Cotti · Felber · Ogi · Stich · Villiger · Delamuraz · Koller · Cotti · Dreifuss 2000 – present Ogi · Leuenberger · Villiger · Couchepin · Deiss · Schmid · Leuenberger · Calmy-Rey · Couchepin · Merz · Leuthard · Calmy-Rey · Widmer-Schlumpf

v t e Swiss Federal Council Current members Doris Leuthard  · Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf (Pres. 2012)  · Ueli Maurer (VP 2012)  · Didier Burkhalter  · Simonetta Sommaruga  · Johann Schneider-Ammann  · Alain Berset About Composition ("Magic formula") · Demographics Lists of members sortable · by date · by name (category) · presidents Lists by department Defence  ·  Economic Affairs  ·  Finance  ·  Foreign Affairs  ·  Home affairs  ·  Justice  ·  Environment, Transport and Communications

Haile Mariam Desalegne at the World Economic Forum on Africa 2011 held in Cape Town, South Africa, 4-6 May 2011

Haile-Mariam Desalegne is an Ethiopian politician who has served in the government of Ethiopia as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs since 2010.

Born in the Wolaita Zone Boloso Sore District of Southern Ethiopia, he studied and spent most of his youth in Wolaita.

He was President of the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region (SNNPR) from November 2001 to March 2006 and was promoted as Deputy Prime Minister^[1] and Minister of Foreign Affairs in October 2010.^[2] He has been performing leadership roles as deputy Chairman of EPRDF, Chairman of SEPDM, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs.^[3] His service term has been as follows: Public Offices: V/President of SNNPR (2000–2002); President of SNNPR(2002–2005); Member of House of People’s Representatives (2005-now); Social Affairs Special Advisor to the PM, then Public Mobilization & Participation Special Advisor to the Prime Minister (2005–2008); Government Chief Whip, with a Ministerial portfolio (2008–2010). Party Posts: Member of the Executive Committee EPRDF and SEPDM (2000-now); Chairman of SEPDM (2002-now); Dep. Chairman of EPRDF(since Sept 2010).

Haile Mariam obtained a bachelor degree in civil engineering from the Addis Ababa University in 1988. He subsequently worked as a graduate assistant in the Arba Minch Water Technology Institute (now Arba Minch University). After two years of working in this capacity, he won a scholarship to Tampere University of Technology in Finland and obtained a masters degree in sanitation engineering. Upon his return to Ethiopia he served in different academic and administrative capacities, including the dean of the Water Technology Institute, for 13 years.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, he became seriously involved in politics as member of the EPRDF (Ethiopia's ruling party) and became the deputy president of SNNPR. He replaced Abate Kisho who was removed from power on corruption charges, but it is believed that Abate was demoted for supporting the anti-Meles Zenawi faction when the TPLF (the core of the EPRDF) split in 2000.^{[citation needed]} Another widely accepted belief about Abate was that he was less educated and exercised poor leadership while he was in power.

After his tenure as President of the SNNPR, Haile Mariam worked in the Prime Minister's Office as the advisor on Social Affairs and Civic Organizations and Partnerships for two years. In 2010 Haile Mariam was sworn in to dual ministerial positions as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs.

See also[link]

• Welayta people

References[link]

External links[link]

• "A New Leader in Office", Ethiopia News interview with Haile Mariam Desalegne, published 9 November 2010