Minister without portfolio

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 governments and a cabinet with decision-making authority wherein a minister without portfolio, while he may not head any particular office or ministry, still receives a ministerial salary and has the right to cast a vote in cabinet decisions. In some countries where the executive branch is not composed of a coalition of parties and, more often, in countries with purely presidential systems of government, such as the United States, the position of minister without portfolio (or an equivalent position) is uncommon.

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 Lyon's 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.[1]

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.[2]

Bulgaria

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 former 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, and Arthur Meighen; 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, 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 appointed Jim Carr as a minister without portfolio, in addition to his role as special representative to the Prairies. Carr served as a cabinet minister until November 2019, leaving as a consequence of his diagnosis with multiple myeloma. [3]

Croatia

Denmark

Three "control ministers" served as ministers without portfolio during World War I.

After the Liberation of Denmark in May 1945, the first Danish cabinet 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 to 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 (1944)
  • Johannes Sikkar (1952–1953) (in exile)
  • Artur Terras (1952–1953) (in exile)
  • Aksel Mark (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 (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 (1995–1996)
  • Tiit Kubri (1995–1997)
  • Riivo Sinijärv (1996)
  • Andra Veidemann (1996–1999)
  • Peep Aru (1997–1999)
  • Katrin Saks (1999–2003)
  • Toivo Asmer (1999–2003)
  • Eldar Efendijev (2002–2003)
  • Paul-Eerik Rummo (2003–2007)
  • Jaan Õunapuu (2003–2007)
  • Urve Palo (2007–2009)
  • Urmas Kruuse (2014)
  • Anne Sulling (2014)

Germany

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 some have simultaneously been Chief of the Federal Chancellor's Office.

Hungary

India

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)

First Sjahrir Cabinet (11 November 1945 – 28 February 1946)
  • Rasjidi (on religious affairs)

Third Sjahrir Cabinet (5 October 1946 – 27 July 1947)

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 (Indonesian: 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 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 who does not have charge of a Department of State, such a person to be known as a "Minister without portfolio".[7] Such a minister may be given a specific style or title. The only substantive minister without portfolio has been Frank Aiken, the Minister for the Co-ordination of Defensive Measures during World War II.[8] By the Emergency Powers Act 1939 then in force, the Minister for Defence was able to delegate some competences to him.[9][10] Such delegation is now done instead with Ministers of State: "junior ministers" who are not members of the government. Junior ministers can be given a right to sit at cabinet; in this case, they often known colloquially as "super-juniors". This allows the Government to circumvent the Constitutional limit of fifteen on the number of Government Ministers.

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.[11]

TitleGovtMinisterAppt to govtDept createdDept
Minister for Economic Planning and Development15thMartin O'Donoghue8 July 1977[12]13 December 1977[13][14]Department of Economic Planning and Development
Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform29thBrendan Howlin9 March 2011[15] 6 July 2011[16][17]Department of Public Expenditure and Reform
Minister for Rural and Community Development31stMichael Ring14 June 2017[18]19 July 2017[19]Department of Rural and Community Development
Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science32ndSimon Harris27 June 2020[20]2 August 2020[21]Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science

Israel

It is common practice in Israel to appoint ministers without portfolio as part of the coalition negotiations. 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:

Italy

In the Italian government, Ministers without Portfolio are nominated by the President of the Council of Ministers (Prime Minister) and formally appointed by the President of the Republic to lead particular departments directly under the Presidency (or Presidium) of the Council of Ministers. Unlike the office of State Undersecretary to the Presidency, who fulfils duties in the Prime Minister's remit, Ministers without Portfolio enjoy the full status of ministers but do not lead an independent ministry. Departments on equalities, European affairs and relations with regions, for example, are usually led by ministers without portfolio.

The Monti Cabinet had 6 ministers without portfolio:

The Letta Cabinet had 8 ministers without portfolio:

The Renzi Cabinet had 3 ministers without portfolio:

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–)[23]
  • Joe Mizzi (1996–1998)
  • Konrad Mizzi (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.[24][25]

Nepal

Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat.[26]

Netherlands
Main article: Minister without Portfolio (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 (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 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 (Housing, Neighbourhoods and Integration), Bert Koenders (Development Cooperation) and André Rouvoet, 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 (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).

New Zealand

In the First Labour Government from 1935 Mark Fagan 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 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.[27]

Key

  Liberal   Reform   United   Labour   National
†: Died in office

Name Portrait Term of Office Prime Minister
James Carroll 16 March 1892 20 February 1896 Ballance
Seddon
Alfred Cadman 21 December 1899 9 May 1901
William Montgomery 19 July 1893 7 November 1895
Mahuta Tāwhiao 22 May 1903 6 August 1906
Hall-Jones
Āpirana Ngata 7 January 1909 28 March 1912 Ward
Peter Buck 28 March 1912 10 July 1912 Mackenzie
Thomas Buxton 28 March 1912 10 July 1912
Māui Pōmare 10 July 1912 3 May 1916 Massey
William Fraser 27 July 1920 16 July 1923†
David Guthrie 25 June 1924 31 March 1927†
Bell
Coates
Heaton Rhodes 18 January 1926 10 December 1928
Francis Bell 24 May 1926 25 August 1928
Sir Joseph Ward 28 May 1930 8 July 1930† Forbes
Robert Masters 20 August 1930 22 September 1931
Mark Fagan 6 December 1935 18 July 1939 Savage
David Wilson 18 November 1939 30 May 1940
Fraser
Paraire Karaka Paikea 21 January 1941 6 May 1943†
Eruera Tirikatene 26 May 1943 13 December 1949
Adam Hamilton 16 July 1940 5 October 1942
Gordon Coates 16 July 1940 5 October 1942
William Polson 15 March 1950 12 December 1950 Holland
Sidney Holland 20 September 1957 12 December 1957 Holyoake
David Seath 24 January 1962 20 December 1963
Hugh Watt 13 March 1975 12 December 1975 Rowling

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, then-Senate President Manuel Roxas was appointed Minister without Portfolio by the Japanese Government.

Portugal

Following the Carnation Revolution, several politicians were made ministers without portfolio:

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
Main article: Minister without portfolio (Serbia)

From 2007 to 2008, Dragan Đilas was a "minister without portfolio" in charge of the National Investment Plan.

Taiwan

In the Executive Yuan of the Republic of China, there are several such ministers, at one time. Currently, the ministers without portfolio are:[28]

Singapore

In Singapore, the appointment holder is known as a 'Minister in the Prime Minister's Office'.

Sweden

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:

United Kingdom
Main article: Minister without portfolio (United Kingdom)

United States

In the United States, 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,[30] Arthur Burns,[31] and Ivanka Trump.[32]

References
  1. "Mr Bruce to be Minister without Portfolio". Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  2. "Bangladesh's PM Sheikh Hasina keeps Home, Foreign Affairs, Defence portfolios". economictimes.indiatimes.com. PTI. Retrieved 2 February 2016.
  3. Curry, Bill; Walsh, Marieke (January 12, 2021). "Trudeau shuffles senior ministers, puts Champagne in Innovation and Garneau at Global Affairs". The Globe and Mail.
  4. "Just what is a minister without portfolio?". www.rediff.com. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  5. "Vajpayee reinducts Mamata Banerjee as cabinet minister without portfolio". India Today. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  6. "Congress: 'Minister without portfolio' is giving 'gyan': Congress hits back at Jaitley's blog". The Times of India.
  7. "Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1939, Section 4: Minister without portfolio". Irish Statute Book. 21 December 1939. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
  8. Chubb, Basil (1982). Government & Politics of Ireland (2nd ed.). Stanford University Press. p. 170. ISBN 0-8047-1115-1.
  9. "Emergency Powers Act 1939; §6 Delegation of statutory powers and duties". Irish Statute Book. 3 September 1939. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
  10. "Air-Raid Precautions (Approval of Expenditure by Essential Undertakers) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 1944". Irishstatutebook.ie. 30 September 1943. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
  11. "Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 1977: Fifth Stage". Dáil debates. Oireachtas. 10 November 1977. Retrieved 8 May 2012. The Minister for Economic Planning and Development is a member of the Government not having charge of a Department of State, who is therefore, under section 4 (2) of the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1939 a Minister without portfolio. His title is not derived from the title of a Department of which he is head, because it does not exist, but it is a title that has been assigned to him by the Government pursuant to section 4 (3) of the 1939 Act.
  12. "Appointment of Taoiseach and Nomination of Members of Government – Dáil Éireann (21st Dáil) – Tuesday, 5 July 1977". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  13. "Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act, 1977 Section 2". Irish Statute Book. Attorney General. 6 December 1977. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  14. "Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1977 (Appointed Day) Order 1977". Irish Statute Book. Attorney General. 9 December 1977. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
  15. "Appointment of Ministers and Ministers of State – Dáil Éireann (31st Dáil) – Tuesday, 15 March 2011". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
  16. "Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 2011, Section 7". Irish Statute Book. Dublin: Attorney General. 4 July 2011. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
  17. "Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 2011 (Appointed Day) Order 2011". Irish Statute Book. Dublin: Attorney General. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  18. "Appointment of Members of Government and Ministers of State – Dáil Éireann (32nd Dáil) – Tuesday, 20 June 2017". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 14 January 2020.
  19. "Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 2017, Section 1: Department of Rural and Community Development". Irish Statute Book. 19 July 2017. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
  20. "Appointment of Ministers and Ministers of State – Dáil Éireann (33rd Dáil) – Tuesday, 7 July 2020". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  21. "Ministers and Secretaries and Ministerial, Parliamentary, Judicial and Court Offices (Amendment) Act 2020". Irish Statute Book. 2 August 2020. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  22. "Decreto del Presidente della Repubblica 30 gennaio 2015 – Accettazione delle dimissioni della dott.ssa Maria Carmela LANZETTA dalla carica di Ministro senza portafoglio. (15A00810) (GU Serie Generale n.27 del 3-2-2015)". The official website of the Gazzetta Ufficiale.
  23. "Official: New Cabinet appointed – huge overhaul as only five ministers keep places - The Malta Independent". www.independent.com.mt. Retrieved 2020-02-15.
  24. "Updated (3): Konrad Mizzi, Keith Schembri to remain at Castille; Mallia returns to Cabinet - The Malta Independent". www.independent.com.mt. Retrieved 2017-04-27.
  25. "Parlament Ta' Malta". parlament.mt. Archived from the original on 2017-03-26. Retrieved 2017-04-27.
  26. "Congress leader Mahat to join cabinet". Setopati.net. 2014-02-11. Retrieved 2016-07-27.
  27. Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First published in 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.
  28. "Premier-designate finalizes his Cabinet lineup". Focustaiwan.tw. 2016-04-28. Retrieved 2016-07-27.
  29. "Olof Palme". Government Offices of Sweden. 27 February 2016. he was a minister without portfolio from 1963 to 1965
  30. Bauman, Michael (1984-06-27). "Mysterious Baruch". Milwaukee Journal. p. 18. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
  31. "The Administration: Minister Without Portfolio". Time. 1969-02-07. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
  32. Mahnken, Kevin (2020-07-06). "The Veepstakes Is Taking Over, But the Education World Wants to Know: Who Will Replace DeVos?". The 74. Retrieved 2020-07-09.
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