A council of state is a governmental body in a country, or a subdivision of a country, with a function that varies by jurisdiction. It may be the formal name for 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 ...

or it may refer to a non-executive advisory body associated with a

head of state A head of state is the public persona of a sovereign state.#Foakes, Foakes, pp. 110–11 "

he head of state He or HE may refer to: Language * He (letter), the fifth letter of the Semitic abjads * He (pronoun), a pronoun in Modern English * He (kana), one of the Japanese kana (へ in hiragana and ヘ in katakana) * Ge (Cyrillic), a Cyrillic letter cal ...

being an embodiment of the State itself or representative of its international persona." The name given to the office of head of sta ...

. In some countries it functions as a

supreme administrative court A supreme administrative court is the highest court in a country with jurisdiction over lower administrative courts and the administrative decisions of the authorities, but not the legislative decisions (laws) made by the government (which are unde ...

and is sometimes regarded as the equivalent of a privy council.

Modern

* Belgian Council of State is a judicial and advisory body that assists the executive with obligatory legal advice on each draft law and is the supreme court for administrative justice *

Chinese State Council The State Council of the People's Republic of China, also known as the Central People's Government, is the chief administrative authority and national cabinet. It is constitutionally the highest administrative organ of the country and the ex ...

is the country's highest executive body * Colombian Council of State * Cuban Council of State *

Danish Council of State The Council of State (, , ) is the privy council of the Kingdom of Denmark. The body of advisors to the Danish monarch, the council is a formal institution, with largely ceremonial functions. Chaired by the monarch, the council comprises all ca ...

is similar to a privy council with a largely ceremonial role *

Dutch Council of State The Council of State () is a constitutionally established advisory body in the Netherlands to the government and States General that officially consists of members of the royal family and Crown-appointed members generally having political, comm ...

is an advisory body that consists of one or two members of the royal family and other members appointed by the Crown *

Egyptian Council of State The judicial system (or judicial branch) of Egypt is an independent branch of the Egyptian government which includes both secular and religious courts. The Egyptian judicial system is based on European and primarily French legal concepts and ...

Finnish Government The Finnish Government (; ; ) is the executive branch and cabinet of Finland, which directs the politics of Finland and is the main source of legislation proposed to the Parliament. The Government has collective ministerial responsibility an ...

is literally referred to as council of state in Finnish () and Swedish () *

French Council of State French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), a ...

is a judicial and advisory body. It assists the executive with legal advice and is the supreme court for administrative justice * Ghanaian Council of State advises the

President of Ghana The president of the Republic of Ghana is the elected head of state and head of government of Ghana, as well as commander-in-chief of the Ghana Armed Forces. The current president of Ghana is John Mahama, who won the 2024 presidential elect ...

in the exercise of most of his/her reserve powers * Greek Council of State is the supreme administrative court of Greece and also examines all presidential decrees before they are issued * Irish Council of State advises the

President of Ireland The president of Ireland () is the head of state of Republic of Ireland, Ireland and the supreme commander of the Defence Forces (Ireland), Irish Defence Forces. The presidency is a predominantly figurehead, ceremonial institution, serving as ...

in the exercise of most of his/her reserve powers *

Italian Council of State The Council of State () is a legal-administrative consultative body that ensures the legality of public administration in Italy. The council has jurisdiction over acts of all administrative authorities, except when these authorities lack discretio ...

is a legal and administrative consultative body that ensures the legality of public administration. * Luxembourg Council of State * Nigerian Council of State *

North Carolina Council of State The North Carolina Council of State is the collective body of ten elective executive offices in the government of North Carolina, state government of North Carolina, all of which are established by the Constitution of North Carolina, state co ...

Norwegian Council of State The Council of State () is a formal body composed of the most senior government ministers chosen by the Prime Minister, and functions as the collective decision-making organ constituting the executive branch of the Kingdom. The council sim ...

* South Korean State Council is a national council constituted by South Korean cabinet, constitutionally empowered to deliberate important policies of executive branch of South Korean government *

Spanish Council of State The Council of State (), is the supreme consultative council of the Spanish Government. The current Council of State was established in 1980 according to the article 107 of the Constitution of 1978. The institution of the Council of State, under ...

* Swedish Council of State (1975-present) *

Philippine Council of State The Council of State of the Philippines () is an advisory body composed primarily of senior statesmen who act as advisors to the President of the Philippines, who is both head of state and head of government, as well as Commander-in-Chief of t ...

Portuguese Council of State The Council of State (, ) is a body established by the Portuguese Constitution to advise the President of the Republic in the exercise of many of his or her discretionary powers. History Although there are notices about the existence of a Counci ...

is an advisory body of the

President of the Republic The President of the Republic is a title used for heads of state and/or heads of government in countries having republican form of government. Designation In most cases the president of a republic is elected, either: * by direct universal s ...

* Thai Council of State advises the executive branch on legal matters and until the establishment of the administrative courts in 1999, it also served as the supreme administrative court * East Timorese Council of State is the political advisory body of the

President of Timor-Leste The president of Timor-Leste, officially the President of the Democratic Republic of Timor Leste (; ) is the head of state of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste. The executive powers of the president are limited; however, the President is ...

Turkish Council of State The Council of State () is the highest administrative court in the Republic of Turkey and is located in Ankara. Its role and tasks are prescribed by the Constitution of Turkey within the articles on the supreme courts. According to Article 155 o ...

is the supreme court for administrative justice

Defunct

* Brazilian Empire's Council of State (1822–1889) * Council of State of the Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma (1974-1988) * Council of State of the People's Republic of Kampuchea (1981–1993) * Chilean Council of State (1976–1980) *

English Council of State The English Council of State, later also known as the Protector's Privy Council, was first appointed by the Rump Parliament on 14 February 1649 after the execution of King Charles I. Charles's execution on 30 January was delayed for several ho ...

(1649–1660) *

State Council of the German Democratic Republic The State Council of the German Democratic Republic (German language, German: ''Staatsrat der DDR'') was the standing organ of the Volkskammer, People's Chamber and functioned as the collective head of state of the German Democratic Republic, mo ...

(1960–1990) * Indian Council of State (1919–1947) * Ethiopian Council of State (1987–1991) * Israeli Provisional State Council (1948–1949) * Japanese Great Council of State (689–1885) * Liberian Council of State was an interim governing body in the mid-1990s * Manchukuon General Affairs State Council (1934–1945) * (1879–1905) *

Ottoman Council of State The Council of State (Ottoman Turkish: ''Şûrâ-yı Devlet'', شوراى دولت) was the high legislative institution in the Ottoman Empire that corresponds to the present-day Council of State of Turkey. It served between the years 1868 and 19 ...

(1868–1922) * (1858–) * Poland: ** Polish Kingdom's Council of State (1815-1915) **

Provisional Council of State The Provisional Council of State (; German: ''Provisorische Staatsrat im Koenigreich Polen'') was the first government of the Kingdom of Poland, a new state created by the military authorities of Germany and Austria on some Polish lands during t ...

(1917) **

Polish Council of State The Council of State of the Polish People's Republic, Republic of Poland () was introduced by the Small Constitution of 1947 as an organ of executive (government), executive power. The Council of State consisted of the President of Poland, Presid ...

(1947–1989) * Romanian State Council (1961–1989) * Siamese Supreme Council of State (1925–1932) * Swedish Council of State (1809–1974) * Tunisian Council of State (1959–2014) *

Vietnamese Council of State The National Assembly Standing Committee ( - UBTVQH), formerly organized as the Council of State (), is the highest standing body of the National Assembly (NA) of Vietnam. Its members are elected from among National Assembly deputies, including t ...

(1980–1992)

References

Cabinet

State State most commonly refers to: * State (polity), a centralized political organization that regulates law and society within a territory **Sovereign state, a sovereign polity in international law, commonly referred to as a country **Nation state, a ...

Modern

Defunct

See also

References