A minister without portfolio is either a
government minister with no specific responsibilities or a minister who does not head a particular
ministry. The
sinecure is particularly common in countries ruled by
coalition
A coalition is a group formed when two or more people or groups temporarily work together to achieve a common goal. The term is most frequently used to denote a formation of power in political or economical spaces.
Formation
According to ''A Gui ...
governments and a
cabinet
Cabinet or The Cabinet may refer to:
Furniture
* Cabinetry, a box-shaped piece of furniture with doors and/or drawers
* Display cabinet, a piece of furniture with one or more transparent glass sheets or transparent polycarbonate sheets
* Filin ...
with decision-making authority wherein a minister without portfolio, while they may not head any particular office or ministry, may still receive a ministerial salary and has the right to cast a vote in cabinet decisions.
Albania
In Albania, ''"Minister without portfolio"'' are considered members of the government who generally are not in charge of a special department, do not have headquarters or offices and usually do not have administration or staff. This post of was first introduced in 1918, during the
Përmeti II government, otherwise known as the
Government of Durrës. The members of this cabinet were referred to as ''Delegatë pa portofol'' (delegate without portfolio). The name "minister" was used two years later, during the
government
A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state.
In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government i ...
of
Sulejman Delvina. In the 1990s it was common the usage of the name ''Sekretar Shteti'' (Secretary of State) to refer to such a position. Mostly these roles were given to smaller allies by the leading parties. Nowadays the name ''Ministër i Shtetit'' (State Minister or Minister of State) is used.
Australia
Willie Kelly was given the title in the
Cook Ministry from June 1913 to September 1914.
Stanley Bruce was given the title of minister without portfolio when he took up his position in 1932 as the Commonwealth Minister in London. He was given the title by Lyons' Cabinet so that he could better represent the PM and his colleagues free from the limitations of a portfolio. In this case the title was a promotion and carried considerable responsibilities.
Bangladesh
Bangladesh appoints ministers without portfolio during cabinet reshuffles or fresh appointments. Ministers are not usually appointed without portfolio as a coalition negotiation – all long run ministers end up with a portfolio.
Suranjit Sengupta was a minister without portfolio in Sheikh Hasina's second government.
Bulgaria
*
Bozhidar Dimitrov (2009–2011)
Canada
While the minister without portfolio is seen by some as a mere
sinecure appointment, it has been a role that numerous political notables have played over time, including future Prime Minister
Jean Chrétien, who filled the role in a
Pearson cabinet in the 1960s;
John Turner also "kept a seat warm" in a Pearson cabinet. Notable Conservatives who filled the role include
R. B. Bennett
Richard Bedford Bennett, 1st Viscount Bennett, (July 3, 1870 – June 26, 1947), was a Canadian lawyer, businessman, philanthropist, and politician who served as the 11th prime minister of Canada from 1930 to 1935.
Bennett was born in ...
, and
Arthur Meighen
Arthur Meighen (; June 16, 1874 – August 5, 1960) was a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as the ninth prime minister of Canada from 1920 to 1921 and from June to September 1926. He led the Conservative Party from 1920 to 1926 and fr ...
; however, Meighen served this role after he had been prime minister.
The title of minister without portfolio has been used off and on; in recent times, though, the title has fallen out of favour, and the penultimate minister without portfolio,
Gilles Lamontagne
Joseph-Georges-Gilles-Claude Lamontagne (; April 17, 1919 – June 14, 2016) was a Canadian politician and the 24th Lieutenant Governor of Quebec.
Early life
He was born in Montreal. During World War II, Lamontagne served as a bomber pilot i ...
, was promoted to
postmaster general in 1978. The practice has continued primarily under the guise of
ministers of state without responsibilities in the ministers' titles.
The position has also been filled on the federal or provincial level by experienced politicians near the end of their careers as a way of allowing them to counsel the government and take on projects without the burdens associated with administering a government department.
In January 2021, Prime Minister
Justin Trudeau
Justin Pierre James Trudeau ( , ; born December 25, 1971) is a Canadian politician who is the 23rd and current prime minister of Canada. He has served as the prime minister of Canada since 2015 and as the leader of the Liberal Party since ...
appointed
Jim Carr as a minister without portfolio, in addition to his role as special representative to the Prairies. Carr had previously served as a cabinet minister until November 2019, leaving as a consequence of his diagnosis with
multiple myeloma
Multiple myeloma (MM), also known as plasma cell myeloma and simply myeloma, is a cancer of plasma cells, a type of white blood cell that normally produces antibodies. Often, no symptoms are noticed initially. As it progresses, bone pain, ...
.
Croatia
*
Dragutin Kalogjera (1990)
*
Zvonimir Medvedović (1990)
*
Gojko Šušak
Gojko Šušak (; 16 March 1945 – 3 May 1998) was a Croatian politician who held the post of Minister of Defence from 1991 to 1998 under President Franjo Tuđman. From 1990 to 1991 he was the Minister of Emigration and in 1991 the Deputy Minist ...
(1990–1991)
*
Zdravko Mršić (1990–1991)
*
Dražen Budiša (1991–1992)
*
Ivan Cesar (1991–1992)
*
Ivica Crnić (1992)
*
Darko Čargonja (1992)
*
Živko Juzbašić (1991–1992)
*
Mladen Vedriš (1992)
*
Vladimir Veselica
Vladimir Veselica (23 January 1938 – 11 December 2013) was a Croatian politician, economist and university professor born in Glavice near Sinj. He graduated and received PhD in economics from the Faculty of Economics, University of Zagreb in 19 ...
(1991)
*
Muhamed Zulić (1991–1992)
*
Zvonimir Baletić (1991–1992)
*
Slavko Degoricija (1991)
*
Stjepan Zdunić (1991)
*
Čedomir Pavlović (1992–1993)
*
Smiljko Sokol (1992–1993)
*
Zlatko Mateša (1993–1995) – Prime Minister (1995–2000)
*
Juraj Njavro (1993–1997)
*
Ivan Majdak (1993–1995)
*
Marijan Petrović (1995)
*
Adalbert Rebić (1995)
*
Davor Štern (1995)
*
Branko Močibob (1995–1997)
*
Gordana Sobol (2002–2003)
*
Bianca Matković (2009–2011)
*
Goran Marić (2016)
Deputy Prime Ministers without portfolio
*
Bernardo Jurlina (1990–1991)
*
Mate Babić (1990)
*
Milan Ramljak (1990–1992)
*
Franjo Gregurić (1990–1991) – Prime Minister (1991–1992)
*
Mate Granić
Mate Granić (born 19 September 1947) is a Croatian diplomat and politician who served as Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Government of Croatia from 1993 to 2000.
Biography
Granić was born in Baška Voda in Dalmatia (then PR Croatia, FPR Y ...
(1991–1993) – Minister of Foreign Affairs (1993–2000)
*
Jurica Pavelić (1991–1992)
*
Zdravko Tomac
Zdravko Tomac (24 May 1937 – 4 January 2020) was a Croatian politician.
A native of Slavonski Brod, Zdravko Tomac began his political career in the Communist Party of Yugoslavia. There he rose through the ranks, becoming a close associate of ...
(1991–1992)
*
Ivan Milas (1992–1993)
*
Vladimir Šeks (1992–1994)
*
Mladen Vedriš (1992–1993)
*
Ivica Kostović (1993–1995)
*
Bosiljko Mišetić (1995)
*
Borislav Škegro (1993–1997)
*
Ljerka Mintas Hodak (1995–1998)
*
Željka Antunović (2000–2002)
*
Slavko Linić (2000–2003)
*
Goran Granić
Goran Granić (born 18 April 1950) is a former Croatian centre-left politician who was the deputy prime minister from 2000 to 2002.
Granić was born in Baška Voda. He graduated from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering in Zagreb in 1972, o ...
(2000–2002)
*
Ante Simonić (2002–2003)
*
Damir Polančec (2005–2008)
*
Đurđa Adlešić (2008–2010)
*
Slobodan Uzelac (2008–2011)
*
Domagoj Ivan Milošević (2010–2011)
*
Tomislav Karamarko (2016)
*
Božo Petrov (2016) – Speaker of Parliament (2016–2017)
*
Boris Milošević (2020–2022)
*
Anja Šimpraga (2022–present)
Denmark
Three "control ministers" served as ministers without portfolio during
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
.
After the
Liberation of Denmark in May 1945, the first Danish
cabinet
Cabinet or The Cabinet may refer to:
Furniture
* Cabinetry, a box-shaped piece of furniture with doors and/or drawers
* Display cabinet, a piece of furniture with one or more transparent glass sheets or transparent polycarbonate sheets
* Filin ...
included four ministers without portfolio. Among these were Danish ambassador to the U.S.
Henrik Kauffmann, who had conducted his own foreign policy throughout the war and refused to follow orders from Copenhagen as long as Denmark remained occupied by a foreign power. Kauffmann served in this capacity from 12 May to 7 November 1945. The three other holders of this title had joined the cabinet a few days before –
Aksel Larsen (
Communist Party of Denmark),
Kr. Juul Christensen (
Danish Unity) and
Frode Jakobsen (
Social Democrats).
Lise Østergaard held a position as minister without portfolio with special attention to foreign policy issues in
Anker Jørgensen's cabinet from 26 February 1977 to 28 February 1980.
Anders Fogh Rasmussen appointed
Bertel Haarder as minister without portfolio, but effectively
Minister for European Affairs. Haarder served in this capacity from 27 November 2001 to 18 February 2005. The reason for appointing a minister without a ministry was the Danish
European Union Presidency of 2002. Haarder was considered the most experienced Danish politician on European affairs.
Estonia
*
Jaan Tõnisson (1918) (provisional government)
*
Karl Ast (1924–1925)
*
Juhan Kaarlimäe
Juhan Kaarlimäe (also Johann Karlsberg; 21 November 1901 Vana-Vändra Parish (now Põhja-Pärnumaa Parish), Kreis Pernau – 5 February 1977 Raikküla Selsoviet, Rapla District) was an Estonia
Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, i ...
(1944)
*
Johannes Sikkar (1952–1953) (
in exile)
*
Artur Terras (1952–1953) (in exile)
*
Aksel Mark
Aksel Mark (20 June 1913 – 17 June 2014) was an Estonian politician, chairman of the Estonian Democratic Union, journalist, newspaper editor and agronomist. Mark was the Estonian Minister of the Interior in exile between 1962 and 1992.
Mark w ...
(1956–1962) (in exile)
*
Arvo Horm (1956–1964) (in exile)
*
Peeter Panksep (1956–1964) (in exile)
*
Eduard Leetmaa (1959–1962) (in exile; appointed, but did not enter office)
*
Ivar Grünthal (1962–1964) (in exile)
*
Renate Kaasik (1971–1990) (in exile)
*
Verner Hans Puurand (1973–1977) (in exile)
*
Jaan Timusk (1973–1990) (in exile)
*
Ants Pallop (1973–1992) (in exile)
*
Arvo Horm (1977–1992) (in exile)
*
Ivar Paljak (1985–1990) (in exile)
*
Olev Olesk (1986–1990) (in exile)
*
Endel Lippmaa
Endel Lippmaa (15 September 1930 – 30 July 2015) was an Estonian academic, politician, founder and chairman of the Science Council of the National Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics best known for his work in uncovering crucial docu ...
(1990–1991) (interim government)
*Artur Kuznetsov (1990–1991) (interim government)
*
Klara Hallik (1992) (interim government)
*
Arvo Niitenberg (1992) (interim government)
*
Jüri Luik (1992–1993)
*
Peeter Olesk (1993–1994)
*
Eiki Nestor (1994–1995)
*
Arvo Niitenberg (1994–1995)
*
Ants Leemets (1995)
*
Jaak Allik (1995–1996)
*
Endel Lippmaa
Endel Lippmaa (15 September 1930 – 30 July 2015) was an Estonian academic, politician, founder and chairman of the Science Council of the National Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics best known for his work in uncovering crucial docu ...
(1995–1996)
*
Tiit Kubri (1995–1997)
*
Riivo Sinijärv (1996)
*
Andra Veidemann
Andra Veidemann (née Andra Eesmaa; born 18 July 1955 Tallinn) is an Estonian historian-ethnologist, editor, diplomat, and politician. She was a member of VII Riigikogu
VII Riigikogu was the seventh legislature of Estonian Parliament (Riigikogu ...
(1996–1999)
*
Peep Aru
Peep Aru (born on 20 April 1953 in Abja-Paluoja) is an Estonian politician. He has been member of X, XI and XII Riigikogu and is the former Minister of Regional Affairs of Estonia. Aru has been the Deputy Mayor of Viljandi from 1993 until 1996, ...
(1997–1999)
*
Katrin Saks
Katrin Saks (born 29 November 1956 in Tallinn) is an Estonian politician and journalist. From 1999 to 2002, she was Minister of Population Affairs in the cabinet of Mart Laar. She was the vice-chairwoman of the Social Democratic Party from 2005 ...
(1999–2003)
*
Toivo Asmer (1999–2003)
*
Eldar Efendijev
Eldar Efendijev ( Azerbaijani: Eldar Əfəndiyev; born 29 June 1954, Tallinn) is an Estonian politician of Azerbaijani descent who was the minister of Population and Ethnic Affairs from 2002 to 2003 and who represented the Estonian Centre Party in ...
(2002–2003)
*
Paul-Eerik Rummo
Paul-Eerik Rummo (born January 19, 1942) is an Estonian poet, playwright, translator and politician who was the former Estonian Minister of Culture and Education, as well as the former Estonian Minister of Population Affairs.
Rummo was born in T ...
(2003–2007)
*
Jaan Õunapuu (2003–2007)
*
Urve Palo
Urve Palo (born 10 July 1972) is an Estonian economist and politician, a member of the Social Democratic Party.
Palo was born in Haapsalu. From April 2007 until May 2009, she served as Estonian Minister of Population and Ethnic Affairs. She also ...
(2007–2009)
*
Urmas Kruuse (2014)
*
Anne Sulling
Anne Sulling (born 12 October 1976 in Tartu) is an Estonian politician and a member of Riigikogu. She represents the Tartu constituency as a member of the Estonian Reform Party.
Between 2005 and 2006, Sullin worked for the Ministry of Finance o ...
(2014)
Finland
Minister without portfolio is not a common type of cabinet position, and the last minister without portfolio served in 1949. The most famous one was
Juho Kusti Paasikivi, who was a part of the "Triumvirate" of Prime Minister
Risto Ryti, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Väinö Tanner and Paasikivi during the Winter War and the year 1940.
Mikko Luopajärvi
Mikko Luopajärvi (15 November 1871 – 5 January 1920) was a Finnish farmer and politician, born in Jalasjärvi. He was a member of the Parliament of Finland
The Parliament of Finland ( ; ) is the unicameral and supreme legislature o ...
(Agrarian Union) 17.4.1919 – 15.8.1919(
Kaarlo Castren Cabinet), 15.8.1919 – 5.1.1920 (
Vennola I Cabinet)
Kalle Aukusti Lohi (Agrarian Union) 31.3.1925 – 31.12.1925 (
Tulenheimo Cabinet)
Matti Paasivuori
Matti Paasivuori (6 May 1866, Ilmajoki - 16 June 1937 in Helsinki) was a Finnish politician from the Social Democratic Party. Paasivuori was the Chairman of the Social Democratic Party on three occasions: 1909–1911, 1913–1917 and 1926–193 ...
(Social Democratic Party) 13.12.1926 – 15.11.1927 (
Tanner Cabinet)
Kalle Jutila (Agrarian Union) 17.12.1927 – 16.10.1928 (
Sunila I Cabinet)
Juhani Leppälä (Agrarian Union) 16.8.1929 – 27.8.1929 (
Kallio III Cabinet)
Eljas Erkko (Progressive Party) 20.10.1932 – 25.11.1932 (
Sunila II Cabinet)
Ernst von Born
Baron Ernst Viktor Lorenz von Born (24 August 1885, Pernå - 7 July 1956) was a Finnish lawyer, farmer and politician. He served as Minister of the Interior from March 1931 to December 1932 and from December 1939 to May 1941, Minister without Por ...
(Swedish People's Party) 13.10.1939 – 1.12.1939 (
Cajander III Cabinet)
Juho Kusti Paasikivi (Unaffiliated/No party) 1.12.1939 – 27.3.1940 (
Ryti I Cabinet)
Mauno Pekkala (Social Democratic Party) 17.11.1944 – 24.11.1944 (
Paasikivi II Cabinet)
Hertta Kuusinen
Hertta Elina Kuusinen (14 February 1904 – 18 March 1974) was a Finnish Communist politician. She was a member of the central committee (1944–1971) and the political bureau of the Communist Party of Finland; member of Finland's parliament, ...
(Finnish People's Democratic Party) 26.5.1948 – 4.6.1948 (
Pekkala Cabinet
Mauno Pekkala's cabinet was the 31st government of the Republic of Finland
Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the ...
)
Aleksi Aaltonen (Social Democratic Party) 29.7.1948 – 30.7.1948 (
Fagerholm I Cabinet)
Unto Varjonen (Social Democratic Party) 29.7.1949 – 19.8.1949 (
Fagerholm I Cabinet)
Germany
*
Hermann Göring (1933)
*
Ernst Röhm (1933)
*
Rudolf Hess (1933–1941)
*
Arthur Seyss-Inquart (1939–1945)
*
Hjalmar Schacht (1939–1943)
*
Martin Bormann (1941–1945)
Since 1949, a
Federal Minister for Special Affairs (''Bundesminister für besondere Aufgaben'') is a member of the
Federal Government that does not have charge of a Federal Ministry, although the ministry is now commonly assigned to the
Heads of the German Chancellery to give this important government functionary
cabinet-rank. The ministry was first created in October 1953 to give a ministry level position to
Franz Josef Strauss
Franz Josef Strauss ( ; 6 September 1915 – 3 October 1988) was a German politician. He was the long-time chairman of the Christian Social Union in Bavaria (CSU) from 1961 until 1988, member of the federal cabinet in different positions betwee ...
, but has been used almost exclusively for the Head of the Federal Chancellery since the 1960s. A notable exception occurred in the course of
German reunification when four members of
East Germany's last government were made "Minister for Special Affairs" from October 3, 1990, to January 1991.
Greece
The position of a Minister without portfolio was first created in 1918, with
Emmanouil Repoulis
Emmanouil Repoulis ( el, Εμμανουήλ Ρέπουλης, 1863 - 24 May 1924) was a Greek journalist and Member of Parliament. He was elected three times: 1899 , 1905 (both with the party of Georgios Theotokis ), 1923 (with the Liberal Party) ...
being the first Minister without portfolio. Previously, the term had been used to describe Prime Ministers who had not undertaken any secondary Ministerial position (e.g.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Prominent politicians like
Georgios Papandreou,
Panagiotis Kanellopoulos,
Napoleon Zervas and
Spyros Markezinis served as Ministers without portfolio during their career, while novelist
Nikos Kazantzakis
Nikos Kazantzakis ( el, ; 2 March ( OS 18 February) 188326 October 1957) was a Greek writer. Widely considered a giant of modern Greek literature, he was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature in nine different years.
Kazantzakis's n ...
had a brief, 46-day-long tenure as Minister without portfolio in
Sofoulis' 1945 cabinet.
In 1991, the position was renamed to
Minister of State
Minister of State is a title borne by politicians in certain countries governed under a parliamentary system. In some countries a Minister of State is a Junior Minister of government, who is assigned to assist a specific Cabinet Minister. I ...
; the last person to be designated Minister without portfolio and simultaneously the first Minister of State, is
Mikis Theodorakis.
Hungary
*
Zsolt Semjén (2010–present)
*
Tamás Fellegi (2011–2012)
India
*
C. Rajagopalachari ,
N. Gopalaswami Ayyangar and
V.K. Krishna Menon
Vengalil Krishnan Krishna Menon (3 May 1896 – 6 October 1974) was an Indian academic, politician, and non-career diplomat. He was described by some as the second most powerful man in India, after the first Prime Minister of India, Jawa ...
–
1st Nehru government
*
T.T. Krishnamachari and
Lal Bahadur Shastri
Lal Bahadur Shastri (; 2 October 1904 – 11 January 1966) was an Indian politician and statesman who served as the 2nd Prime Minister of India from 1964 to 1966 and 6th Home Minister of India from 1961 to 1963. He promoted the White Re ...
-
2nd Nehru Government
*
Mamata Banerjee
Mamata Banerjee (; born 5 January 1955) is an Indian politician who is serving as the eighth and current chief minister of the Indian state of West Bengal since 20 May 2011, the first woman to hold the office. Having served many times as a ...
and
Murasoli Maran
Murasoli Maran (17 August 1934 – 23 November 2003) was an Indian politician and an important leader of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party which was headed by his maternal uncle and mentor, M. Karunanidhi. A Member of Parliament for 3 ...
–
3rd Vajpayee government
*
K. Chandrasekhar Rao and
Natwar Singh
Kunwar Natwar Singh, IFS (born 16 May 1931) is an Indian diplomat and politician who served as the Minister of External Affairs from May 2004 to December 2005.
Singh was selected into the Indian Foreign Service, one of the most competitive an ...
–
1st Manmohan Singh government
*
Arun Jaitley
Arun Jaitley (28 December 1952 – 24 August 2019) was an Indian politician and attorney. A member of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Jaitley served as the Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs of the Government of India from 2014 to 2019. Jai ...
–
1st Modi government
Indonesia
Since the inception of the state, Indonesia had ministers without portfolio, usually given the title ''Menteri Negara'' ('State Minister'). The number was not fixed, entirely depended on the behest of the President. Below is the list of ministers without portfolio in each Cabinet.
Presidential Cabinet (19 August – 14 November 1945)
* Mohammad Amir
* Sartono
*
Alexander Andries Maramis
*
Oto Iskandar di Nata
First Sjahrir Cabinet
The first Sjahrir Cabinet ( id, Kabinet Sjahrir Pertama) was the second Indonesian cabinet, named after the Prime Minister. It served from November 1945 to February 1946.
Background
The first Sjahrir cabinet was established following the 11 No ...
(11 November 1945 – 28 February 1946)
* Rasjidi (on religious affairs)
Third Sjahrir Cabinet (5 October 1946 – 27 July 1947)
*
Hamengkubuwono IX
Hamengkubuwono IX or HB IX (12 April 1912 – 2 October 1988) was an Indonesian statesman and royal who was the second vice president of Indonesia, the ninth sultan of Yogyakarta, and the first governor of the Special Region of Yogyakarta. Hamen ...
*
Wahid Hasyim
*
Wikana (on youth affairs)
* Soedarsono
* Tan Po Gwan
*
Danoedirdja Setiaboedi
Sixth Development Cabinet (6 June – 1 October 1997)
The cabinet was unique, with President
Suharto moved the Minister of Information
Harmoko to the office of State Minister of Special Affairs ( id, Menteri Negara Urusan Khusus) on 6 June 1997. The Ministry of Special Affairs was dissolved on 1 October 1997, following the inauguration of next-term's
parliament
In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: representing the electorate, making laws, and overseeing the government via hearings and inquiries. Th ...
and the appointment of Harmoko as its speaker.
Ireland
The
Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1939 allows a Minister to be a member of the
Government of Ireland
The Government of Ireland ( ga, Rialtas na hÉireann) is the cabinet that exercises executive authority in Ireland.
The Constitution of Ireland vests executive authority in a government which is headed by the , the head of government. The govern ...
who does not have charge of a
Department of State, such a person to be known as a "Minister without portfolio". Such a minister may be given a specific style or title. The only substantive minister without portfolio has been
Frank Aiken
Francis Thomas Aiken (13 February 1898 – 18 May 1983) was an Irish revolutionary and politician. He was chief of staff of the Anti-Treaty IRA at the end of the Irish Civil War. Aiken later served as Tánaiste from 1965 to 1969 and Minister f ...
, the
Minister for the Co-ordination of Defensive Measures during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
. By the
Emergency Powers Act 1939 then in force, the
Minister for Defence
{{unsourced, date=February 2021
A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is an often-used name for the part of a government responsible for matters of defence, found in states ...
was able to delegate some competences to him.
On a number of occasions a minister has been appointed to an incoming government with the title of a new
Department of State. Between the date of appointment and the date of creation of the department, such a minister is formally a minister without portfolio.
When
Helen McEntee
Helen McEntee (born 8 June 1986) is an Irish Fine Gael politician who has served as Minister for Justice from June 2020 to November 2022. From April to November 2021, she became a minister without portfolio during a period of maternity leave. ...
took six months'
maternity leave on 28 April 2021, her portfolio as
Minister for Justice A Ministry of Justice is a common type of government department that serves as a justice ministry.
Lists of current ministries of justice
Named "Ministry"
* Ministry of Justice (Abkhazia)
* Ministry of Justice (Afghanistan)
* Ministry of Justi ...
was reassigned to
Heather Humphreys
Heather Humphreys (born 14 May 1963) is an Irish Fine Gael politician who has served as Minister for Rural and Community Development and Minister for Social Protection since June 2020. She also briefly served as Minister for Justice in Novembe ...
, in addition to Humphreys's existing portfolio as
Minister for Social Protection and
Minister for Rural and Community Development. McEntee remained a member of
the coalition government as minister without portfolio, and was reassigned to the Department of Justice on 1 November 2021. On 25 November 2022, Heather Humphreys was again appointed as Minister for Justice to facilitate a second period of six months' maternity leave from December.
Israel
It is common practice in Israel to appoint ministers without portfolio as part of the coalition negotiations, as it allows small coalition partners a seat at the cabinet table. All cabinets in recent years have had at least some such appointment. The Governance Law passed in 2013 forbade ministers without portfolio effectively ending the practice, however in spite of some objections, after the 2015 elections this issue was revisited in the Knesset and it was allowed for the practice to resume. The full alphabetical list of ministers without portfolio since 1949 is:
*
Ofir Akunis (2015)
*
Yosef Almogi (1961–62)
*
Shulamit Aloni (1974, 1993)
*
Yehuda Amital (1995–96)
*
Shaul Amor (1999)
*
Zalman Aran (1954–55)
*
Moshe Arens (1984–86, 1987–88)
*
Eli Avidar (2021-)
*
Ruhama Avraham
Ruhama Avraham Balila ( he, רוחמה אברהם בלילא, born 29 January 1964) is an Israeli politician who served as a member of the Knesset for Likud and Kadima between 2003 and 2013. She also held the positions of Deputy minister of i ...
(2007–08)
*
Ami Ayalon (2007–08)
*
Yisrael Barzilai (1969–70)
*
Benny Begin (2009–13, 2015)
*
Menachem Begin (1967–70)
*
Mordechai Ben-Porat (1982–84)
*
Yosef Burg
Shlomo Yosef Burg ( he, שלמה יוסף בורג, 31 January 1909 – 15 October 1999) was a German-born Israeli politician. In 1949, he was elected to the first Knesset, and served in many ministerial positions for the next 40 years. He was on ...
(1984)
*
Eitan Cabel (2006–07)
*
Ra'anan Cohen (2001–02)
*
Yitzhak Cohen (2006–08)
*
Aryeh Deri
Aryeh Makhlouf Deri (, ), also Arie Deri, Arye Deri, or Arieh Deri (born 17 February 1959), is an Israeli politician. He is one of the founders of the Shas political party, and has served as Israel's Minister of the Interior, Minister of the ...
(1993)
*
Aryeh Dolchin (1969–70)
*
Sarah Doron (1983–84)
*
Abba Eban (1959–60)
*
Rafael Edri (1988–90)
*
Yaakov Edri (2006–07)
*
Effi Eitam (2002)
*
Yisrael Galili
Yisrael Galili ( he, ישראל גלילי; 10 February 1911 – 8 February 1986) was an Israeli politician, government minister and member of Knesset. Before Israel's independence in 1948, he served as Chief of Staff of the Haganah.
Biography
Y ...
(1966–67, 1969–77)
*
Akiva Govrin (1963–64)
*
Mordechai Gur (1988–90)
*
Gideon Hausner
Gideon Hausner ( he, גדעון האוזנר, 26 September 1915 – 15 November 1990) was an Israeli jurist and politician. Between 1960 and 1963, he served as Attorney General and was later elected to the Knesset and served in the cabinet.
Haus ...
(1974–77)
*
Tzachi Hanegbi (2016, 2020)
*
Yigal Hurvitz (1984–88)
*
Haim Landau
Haim Landau ( he, חיים לנדאו, 10 September 1916 – 16 October 1981) was an Israeli independence fighter, Knesset member and Minister in the government of Menachem Begin.
Career
Landau was born in Kraków, Austria-Hungary (today in Po ...
(1978–79)
*
Pinhas Lavon (1952–54)
*
David Levy (2002)
*
Yitzhak Levy (2002)
*
Tzipi Livni (2001–02)
*
David Magen
David (; , "beloved one") (traditional spelling), , ''Dāwūd''; grc-koi, Δαυΐδ, Dauíd; la, Davidus, David; gez , ዳዊት, ''Dawit''; xcl, Դաւիթ, ''Dawitʿ''; cu, Давíдъ, ''Davidŭ''; possibly meaning "beloved one". w ...
(1990)
*
Raleb Majadele (2007)
*
Dan Meridor (2001–03)
*
Yitzhak Moda'i (1981–82, 1986–88)
*
Shaul Mofaz (2012)
*
Peretz Naftali (1951–52, 1955–59)
*
Meshulam Nahari (2006–13)
*
Dan Naveh (2001–03)
*
Moshe Nissim (1978–80, 1988–90)
*
Ehud Olmert (1988–90)
*
Yossi Peled (2009)
*
Shimon Peres (1969)
*
Yitzhak Peretz (1984, 1987–88)
*
Haim Ramon
Haim Ramon ( he, חיים רמון, born 10 April 1950) is an Israeli politician who served as a member of the Knesset between 1983 and 2009, and as both Vice Prime Minister and Minister in the Prime Minister's Office with responsibility for st ...
(2005)
*
Pinchas Sapir (1968–69)
*
Yosef Sapir (1967–69)
*
Avner Shaki (1988–90)
*
Yosef Shapira (1984–88)
*
Ariel Sharon (1983–84)
*
Victor Shem-Tov
Victor Shem-Tov ( bg, Виктор Шемтов; he, ויקטור שם-טוב; 1 February 1915 – 8 March 2014) was an Israeli politician who held several ministerial portfolios in the late 1960s and 1970s.
Biography
Born in Bulgaria to a fami ...
(1969–70)
*
Salah Tarif (2001–02)
*
Ezer Weizman
Ezer Weizman (; he, עֵזֶר וַיצְמָן ''Ezer Vaytsman''; 15 June 1924 – 24 April 2005) was the seventh President of Israel, first elected in 1993 and re-elected in 1998. Before the presidency, Weizman was commander of the Israeli A ...
(1984–88)
*
Dov Yosef (1952–53)
*
Rehavam Ze'evi (1991–92)
Italy
Kenya
In
Kenya
)
, national_anthem = " Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"()
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, image_map2 =
, capital = Nairobi
, coordinates =
, largest_city = Nairobi
, ...
, ministers without portfolio are not common. However two individuals have held the position in the country's history. They are:
*
Chunilal Madan
Chunilal Bhagwandas Madan QC (born Chunilal Bhagwandas Bhusri; 11 November 1912 – 22 September 1989) was a Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Kenya. He served between 1985–1986 and was succeeded by Justice Cecil Henry Ethelwood Miller. ...
(1956–1957) He was the first Kenyan minister with Asian descent and also country's first minister without portfolio. He was appointed to oversee Kenya's Colonial government operations prior to being appointed as a judge in the country's
Supreme court in 1957.
*
Raphael Tuju (2018–2022). He was appointed by
Uhuru Kenyatta to oversee government operations in his second term of presidency.
North Macedonia
As of 2017, ministers without portfolio (министер без ресор) are:
*
Ramiz Merko
*
Edmond Ademi
*
Robert Popovski
*
Zoran Sapurik
*
Zorica Apostolovska
*
Adnan Kahil
*
Samka Ibraimovski
Malta
*
Carmelo Abela (2020–)
*
Joe Mizzi (1996–1998)
*
Konrad Mizzi
Konrad Mizzi (born 4 November 1977) is a disgraced Maltese politician and served as a Member of Parliament until 2022. He served as Minister for Energy and the Conservation of Water between 2013 and 2014, Minister for Energy and Health from 2014 ...
(2016–2017) On April 28, 2016, following the appearance of his name in the
Panama Papers leaks, Prime Minister
Joseph Muscat announced in a press conference at the
Auberge de Castille that Konrad Mizzi was to be removed from the position of Health and Energy Minister. Mizzi would however retain the title of minister without portfolio, working within the Office of the Prime Minister.
Nepal
Ram Sharan Mahat.
Netherlands
A minister without portfolio in the Netherlands is a minister that does not head a specific
ministry, but assumes the same power and responsibilities as a minister that does. The minister is responsible for a specific part of another minister's policy field. In that sense, a minister without portfolio is comparable to a ''
staatssecretaris
Undersecretary (or under secretary) is a title for a person who works for and has a lower rank than a secretary (person in charge). It is used in the executive branch of government, with different meanings in different political systems, and is ...
'' (state secretary or junior minister) in Dutch politics, who also falls under another ministry and is responsible for a specific part of that minister's policy field. However, one distinct difference is that a minister without portfolio is a member of the
council of ministers
A council is a group of people who come together to consult, deliberate, or make decisions. A council may function as a legislature, especially at a town, city or county/ shire level, but most legislative bodies at the state/provincial or ...
and can vote in it, whereas a state secretary is not. The minister for development cooperation has always been a minister without portfolio.
In the
second Balkenende cabinet there were three ministers without portfolio:
Agnes van Ardenne (Development Cooperation),
Rita Verdonk (Integration and Immigration) and
Alexander Pechtold (Government Reform and Kingdom Relations).
In the
fourth Balkenende cabinet there were three ministers without portfolio:
Eberhard van der Laan
Eberhard Edzard van der Laan (; 28 June 1955 – 5 October 2017) was a Dutch politician who served as Minister for Housing, Communities and Integration from 2008 to 2010 and Mayor of Amsterdam from 2010 until his death in 2017. He was a member ...
(Housing, Neighbourhoods and Integration),
Bert Koenders (Development Cooperation) and
André Rouvoet
André Rouvoet (; born 4 January 1962) is a retired Dutch politician of the Reformatory Political Federation (RPF) party and later the Christian Union (CU) party and jurist. He is the chairman of the executive board of the Healthcare Insuranc ...
, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Youth and Family.
The
second Rutte cabinet had two ministers without portfolio:
Stef Blok (Housing and the Central Government Sector) and
Lilianne Ploumen
Elisabeth Maria Josepha "Lilianne" Ploumen (; born 12 July 1962) is a Dutch politician and activist who served as Leader of the Labour Party from January 2021 until April 2022. She had been a member of the House of Representatives since 2017, a ...
(Development Cooperation).
The
third Rutte cabinet has four ministers without portfolio:
Sigrid Kaag (Development Cooperation),
Sander Dekker (Legal Protection),
Martin van Rijn (Medical Care), and
Arie Slob (Primary and Secondary Education and Media).
The
fourth Rutte cabinet has eight ministers without portfolio:
Carola Schouten (Poverty, Participation and Pensions),
Liesje Schreinemacher (Development Cooperation),
Rob Jetten
Rob Arnoldus Adrianus Jetten (; born 25 March 1987) is a Dutch politician of Democrats 66 (D66). He served as the party's parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives.
Early life and education
Jetten grew up in Uden, Noord-Brabant and ...
(Climate and Energy),
Conny Helder (Long-Term Healthcare and Sport),
Christianne van der Wal (Nature and Nitrogen reduction),
Franc Weerwind (Legal Protection),
Hugo de Jonge (Housing and Urban Development), and
Dennis Wiersma (Primary and Secondary Education and Media).
New Zealand
In the
First Labour Government from 1935
Mark Fagan
Mark Anthony Fagan (17 November 1873 – 31 December 1947) was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party and a union secretary. He was Speaker of the Legislative Council from 1939 until his death.
Biography Early life
Fagan was born at G ...
was a "minister without portfolio" from 1935 to 1939, as was
David Wilson from 1939 to 1949. They were appointed to the
upper house and made a "minister without portfolio" to add them to the cabinet although neither were elected to a seat in Parliament.
In the
Third National Government,
Keith Holyoake
Sir Keith Jacka Holyoake, (; 11 February 1904 – 8 December 1983) was the 26th prime minister of New Zealand, serving for a brief period in 1957 and then from 1960 to 1972, and also the 13th governor-general of New Zealand, serving from 197 ...
was made a Minister of State 1975–77 after he had retired as party leader, and in the
Fourth National Government Robin Gray was made a Minister of State 1993–96 after he was replaced as Speaker (though he was also Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs). Both appointments were considered sinecures to avoid their return as '
backbenchers'.
The following were appointed to the Executive Council as ministers without portfolio.
;Key
†: Died in office
Norway
From 2009 to 2013 Karl Eirik Schjøtt-Pedersen (Labour) was a Minister without Portfolio and Chief of Staff in the Prime Ministers Office, where his job was to co-ordinate within government.
Philippines
During the
Japanese Occupation of the Philippines
The Japanese occupation of the Philippines ( Filipino: ''Pananakop ng mga Japones sa Filipinas''; ja, 日本のフィリピン占領, Nihon no Firipin Senryō) occurred between 1942 and 1945, when Imperial Japan occupied the Commonwealth of t ...
, then-Senate President
Manuel Roxas
Manuel Acuña Roxas (born Manuel Roxas y Acuña; ; January 1, 1892 – April 15, 1948) was a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the fifth president of the Philippines, who served from 1946 until his death due to heart attacks in 19 ...
was appointed minister without portfolio by the Japanese Government.
Portugal
Following the
Carnation Revolution, several politicians were made ministers without portfolio:
*
Álvaro Cunhal
Álvaro Barreirinhas Cunhal (; 10 November 1913 – 13 June 2005) was a Portuguese communist revolutionary and politician. He was one of the major opponents of the dictatorial regime of the '' Estado Novo''. He served as secretary-general of the ...
(1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th provisional government)
*
Ernesto Melo Antunes (2nd, 3rd provisional government)
*
Francisco Pereira de Moura (1st, 4th provisional government)
*
Francisco Sá Carneiro (1st provisional government)
*
Joaquim Magalhães Mota (2nd, 3rd, 4th provisional government)
*
Jorge Campinos (1st constitutional government)
*
Mário Soares (4th provisional government)
*
Vítor Alves (2nd, 3rd provisional government)
After the
1st Constitutional Government (1976–1978), there haven't been any appointments of ministers without portfolio.
A similar but not sinecural cabinet position, that of
Minister Adjunct (''ministro adjunto''), who does not head a particular ministry but is instead tasked with the general interministerial measures found in the government programme, has been created in some Portuguese governments.
Serbia
From 2007 to 2008,
Dragan Đilas was a "minister without portfolio" in charge of the
National Investment Plan.
*
Milan Krkobabić
Milan Krkobabić ( sr-cyr, Милан Кркобабић; born 12 October 1952) is a Serbian politician serving as minister of rural welfare since 2020. A member of the Krkobabić political family, he is the current leader of the Party of United ...
(2016)
*
Slavica Đukić Dejanović (2017)
*
Nenad Popović
Nenad Popović ( sr-cyr, Ненад Поповић; born 30 September 1966) is a Serbian politician and businessman who served as minister without portfolio from 2017 to 2022. A long-time member of the Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS), he lef ...
(2017)
Singapore
In
Singapore
Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, bor ...
, the appointment holder is known as a 'Minister in the
Prime Minister's Office'.
Sweden
*
Dag Hammarskjöld (1951–1953).
*
Olof Palme (1963–1965).
Taiwan
In the
Executive Yuan
The Executive Yuan () is the executive branch of the government of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Its leader is the Premier, who is appointed by the President of the Republic of China, and requires confirmation by the Legislative Yuan.
...
of the
Republic of China, there are several ministers without portfolio at once. Currently, they are:
*
Chang Ching-sen
*
Huang Chih-ta
*
John Deng
*
Kung Ming-hsin
Kung Ming-hsin () is a Taiwanese politician.
Early life
Kung obtained his bachelor's degree in statistics from Fu Jen Catholic University in 1986, master's degree in economics from National Taiwan University in 1989 and doctoral degree in econo ...
, also serving as Minister of
National Development Council
*
Lo Ping-cheng
*
Lin Wan-i
*
Wu Tze-cheng, also serving as Minister of
Public Construction Commission
Tanzania
President
Jakaya Kikwete appointed Professor
Mark Mwandosya as a minister without portfolio in 2012.
Uganda
Since 2015, the cabinet list has included a minister without portfolio:
*
Abraham Byandala – 2015 until 2016
*
Abdul Nadduli – 2016 to 2019
*
Kirunda Kivejinja
Ali Kirunda Kivejinja (12 June 1935 – 19 December 2020), more commonly known as Kirunda Kivejinja, was a veteran Ugandan politician and senior presidential advisor to the President of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni. He at the time of his demise was ...
– 2019 to 2021
United Kingdom
United States
The
Vice President of the United States
The vice president of the United States (VPOTUS) is the second-highest officer in the executive branch of the U.S. federal government, after the president of the United States, and ranks first in the presidential line of succession. The vice p ...
is a member of the
Cabinet
Cabinet or The Cabinet may refer to:
Furniture
* Cabinetry, a box-shaped piece of furniture with doors and/or drawers
* Display cabinet, a piece of furniture with one or more transparent glass sheets or transparent polycarbonate sheets
* Filin ...
but heads no department. As such, the Vice President may be assigned to policy areas of the President's choosing such as foreign diplomacy (
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a representative and senator from California and was ...
), space programs (
Lyndon B. Johnson) or public health (
Mike Pence). Prior to the mid-
19th century, the Vice President's position as
President of the Senate caused the office to be seen as primarily legislative in nature, and as such they were not assigned to deal with public policy.
Cabinet-level officials are president-designated additional members of the Cabinet, which can vary under each president. Most of them head no department, and some of them are not
officers of the United States. For example, the
Director of the Office of Management and Budget is the head of the
Office of Management and Budget
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is the largest office within the Executive Office of the President of the United States (EOP). OMB's most prominent function is to produce the president's budget, but it also examines agency programs, pol ...
, which is an office within a department, namely the
Executive Office of the President of the United States headed by the
White House Chief of Staff. Similar situations apply (or applied) for the
Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers, the
Trade Representative,
Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy,
National Security Advisor A national security advisor serves as the chief advisor to a national government on matters of security. The advisor is not usually a member of the government's cabinet but is usually a member of various military or security councils.
National sec ...
,
Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy
The Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) is a component of the Executive Office of the President of the United States.
The Director of the ONDCP, colloquially known as the Drug Czar, heads the office. "Drug Czar" was a term first used ...
.
An individual who has great influence on government affairs without holding formal office might be described as a "minister without portfolio". Such an appellation is completely unofficial (possibly intended jokingly or disparagingly) and merely serves to underscore the extent of the individual's already-existing influence; it does not grant any new influence or power. Examples include
Bernard Baruch,
Arthur Burns,
and
Ivanka Trump.
During his tenure as
Secretary of Commerce of the United States the later President
Herbert Hoover
Herbert Clark Hoover (August 10, 1874 – October 20, 1964) was an American politician who served as the 31st president of the United States from 1929 to 1933 and a member of the Republican Party, holding office during the onset of the Gre ...
was sometimes referred to as "Secretary of Commerce and Under-Secretary of all other departments" due to his propensity to get involved in federal government policy outside his department and taking charge when other ministers and/or the President wouldn't or couldn't, such as with his administration of federal relief efforts in the
Great Mississippi Flood of 1927.
Vietnam
In the first
government
A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state.
In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government i ...
of the
Democratic Republic of Vietnam
North Vietnam, officially the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV; vi, Việt Nam Dân chủ Cộng hòa), was a socialist state supported by the Soviet Union (USSR) and the People's Republic of China (PRC) in Southeast Asia that existed f ...
founded by
Hồ Chí Minh after the
August Revolution in September 1945,
Cù Huy Cận and
Nguyễn Văn Xuân
Nguyễn Văn Xuân (3 April 1892 – 14 January 1989) was president of the government of Cochinchina from 1947 to 1948, then prime minister of the Provisional Central Government of Vietnam from 23 May 1948 to 20 June 1949, during the First Indoc ...
were assigned the "Minister without Porfolio" positions. In January 1946, the "
Provisional Coalition Government" was installed, and Nguyen Van Xuan retained the post of Minister without Portfolio while Cu Huy Can was elevated to the Ministry of Agriculture. From November 1946 to early 1955, the
Viet Minh (and later the
Worker's Party)-led "New Government" fought against the
return of France to Indochina and the post Ministers without Portfolio was held by Nguyễn Văn Tố, Đặng Văn Hướng and Bồ Xuân Luật. Since the
1954 Geneva Convention, the position has been vacant, except briefly during the 1960-1964 cabinet elected by the
2nd National Assembly 2nd National Assembly may refer to:
* Second National Assembly at Astros, 2nd National Assembly at Astros
* 2nd legislature of the French Fifth Republic, 2nd National Assembly of France
* 2nd National Assembly of Laos, following the 1st Supreme Peo ...
, where Lê Văn Hiến occupied the post "Minister without Porfolio and Deputy Chair of the
State Planning Commission."
In 2014, Prime Minister
Nguyễn Tấn Dũng tasked the Cabinet Office to examine the possibility of re-introducing the post "Minister without Porfolio."
There have been no further developments since.
References
External links
List of Canadian Ministers Without Portfolio and Ministers of State(Parliament of Canada Website)
{{Cabinet Office
*Without portfolio
*Without portfolio
Canadian ministers
Portfolio, Minister without