Premier

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A premier is an executive official of government.

In many nations, the title "premier" is used interchangeably with "prime minister": for example, the "Italian Premier" is the same person as the "Italian President of the Council of Ministers". In the People's Republic of China, "premier" is more common, but "prime minister" is still used (see Premier of the People's Republic of China).

In Bermuda and the Turks and Caicos Islands, both British overseas territories, their elected head of government is called the "premier". In other overseas territories, elected heads are called the chief minister. In the Cayman Islands, this position is known as the Leader of Government Business.

"Premier" is the title of the heads of government in the provinces and territories of Canada, provinces of South Africa, the states of Australia, the island of Nevis within the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, and the nation of Niue. In some of these cases, the formal title remains "Prime Minister" but "Premier" is used to avoid confusion with the national prime minister.

A premier will normally be a head of government, but is not always the head of state. In presidential systems, the two roles are often combined into one, whereas in parliamentary systems of government the two are usually kept separate. An example of a nation having separate roles for the premier/prime minister and the president is the Fifth French Republic.

In the cases of Australia and Canada, care should be taken not to confuse the title of "premier" with "prime minister". A "premier" is the head of government of a province (in Canada) or state (in Australia); the "prime minister" is the national, or federal, head of government. In French, provincial leaders are known as "premier ministres" , which translated literally means "first minister". This is sometimes translated as "prime minister".

In the Soviet Union, the title of premier was applied to the Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars or, after 1946, to the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the USSR.

A second in command to a premier is designated as a vice-premier or deputy premier.

[edit] See also

Head of government offices

Chancellor | Chief Minister | First Minister | Minister-President | Premier | President of the Executive Council |
President of the Council of Ministers | President of the Government | Prime Minister | Taoiseach
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