Prime minister

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A prime minister is the most senior minister of a cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. They are usually, but need not always be, a politician. In many systems the Prime Minister selects and can dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the Government. In most systems they are the presiding member and chairperson of the cabinet. In a minority of systems, notably in semi-presidential system of government, a prime minister is the official who is appointed to manage the civil service and execute the directives of the President.

In parliamentary systems like the United Kingdom's Westminster system, the prime minister is the presiding and actual head of the government and head of the executive branch. In such systems, the head of state (the King, Queen, President, or Governor-General [de facto]), although officially the head of the executive branch, is a ceremonial position. The Prime Minister is often, but not always, a member of parliament and is expected with other ministers to ensure the passage of bills through the legislature. In some monarchies the prime minister also exercises executive powers (known as the Royal Prerogative) which are constitutionally vested in the Crown and can be exercised without the approval of parliament.

As well as being Head of Government, a prime minister may have other roles or titles — the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, for example, is also First Lord of the Treasury.[1] Prime ministers may take other ministerial posts — for example during the Second World War Winston Churchill was also Minister of Defence (although there was then no Ministry of Defence).

Contents

[edit] Primus inter pares

Historically, prime ministers are often referred to Primus inter pares, a Latin term translated as First Among Equals, and which reflects the original concept of a prime minister as merely the first minister or most senior minister to the monarch, not the dominant or presiding minister, a role later assumed by many prime ministers in many states.

[edit] History

Sir Robert Walpole, the first Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
Sir Robert Walpole, the first Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

While the modern office of Prime Minister was developed in the UK the first actual usage of the word Prime Minister or Premier Ministre was used by Cardinal Richelieu, when, in 1624 he was named to head the royal council as prime minister of France. Louis XIV and his descendants generally attempted to avoid giving this title to their chief ministers. The term Prime Minister in the sense that we know it originated in the 18th century in the United Kingdom. Since medieval times Kings of England and the United Kingdom had ministers in whom they placed special trust and who were regarded as the head of the government. Examples were Thomas Cromwell under Henry VIII; William Cecil, Lord Burghley under Elizabeth I; Clarendon under Charles II and Godolphin under Queen Anne. These ministers held a variety of formal posts, but were commonly known as "the Minister," the "first Minister" and finally the "Prime Minister."

The power of these ministers depended entirely on the personal favour of the Monarch. Although managing the Parliament was among the necessary skills of holding high office, they did not depend on a parliamentary majority for their power. Although there was a Cabinet, it was appointed entirely by the Monarch, and the Monarch usually presided over its meetings. When the Monarch tired of a first minister, they could be dismissed, or worse: Cromwell was executed and Clarendon driven into exile when they lost favour. Kings sometimes divided power equally between two or more ministers to prevent one minister becoming too powerful. Late in Anne's reign, for example, the Tory ministers Harley and St. John shared power.

After the English Civil war and the Protectorate the Parliament had strengthened its position and emerged even more powerful after the Glorious Revolution 1688. The King could not establish any law or impose any tax without its permission. Thus it has been said that the House of Commons became a part of the government and it has been only a further step of this development that a new kind of Prime minister should emerge. This turning point in the evolution of the prime ministership came with the death of Anne in 1714 and the accession of George I. George spoke no English, spent much of his time at his home in Hanover, and had neither knowledge of nor interest in the details of English government. In these circumstances it was inevitable that the King's first minister would become the de facto head of the government. From 1721 this was the Whig politician Robert Walpole, who held office for twenty-one years. Walpole chaired Cabinet meetings, appointed all the other ministers, dispensed the royal patronage and packed the House of Commons with his supporters. Under Walpole, the doctrine of Cabinet solidarity developed. Walpole required that no minister other than him have private dealings with the King, and also that when the Cabinet had agreed on a policy, all ministers must defend it in public or resign. As a later Prime Minister, Lord Melbourne, said: "It matters not what we say, gentlemen, so long as we all say the same thing."

Walpole always denied that he was "Prime Minister," and throughout the 18th century parliamentarians and legal scholars continued to deny that any such position was known to the Constitution. The title was first referred to on Government documents during the administration of Benjamin Disraeli but did not appear in the formal British Order of precedence until 1905. George II and George III made strenuous efforts to reclaim the personal power of the Monarch, but the increasing complexity and expense of government meant that a minister who could command the loyalty of the Commons was increasingly necessary. The long tenure of the wartime Prime Minister Pitt the Younger (1783-1801), combined with the mental illness of George III, consolidated the power of the post.

The prestige of British institutions in the 19th century and the growth of the British Empire saw the British model of cabinet government, headed by a prime minister, widely copied, both in other European countries and in British colonial territories as they developed self-government. In some places alternative titles such as "Premier," "Chief Minister," "First Minister of State", "President of the Council" or "Chancellor" were adopted, but the essentials of the office were the same. By the late 20th century the majority of the world's countries had a "Prime Minister" or equivalent minister, holding office under either a constitutional monarchy or a ceremonial president. The main exceptions to this system have been the United States and the presidential republics in Latin America, modelled on the U.S. system, in which the president directly exercises executive authority.


[edit] Prime ministers in republics and in monarchies

The post of prime minister is one which may be encountered both in constitutional monarchies (such as Belgium, Denmark, Japan, The Netherlands, Norway, Malaysia, Spain, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom), and in republics in which the head of state is an elected (such as Finland, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Portugal, Romania, Turkey) or unelected official (such as Singapore before 1993) with varying degrees of real power. This contrasts with the presidential system, in which the President (or equivalent) is both the head of state and the head of the government. See also "First Minister" , "Premier", "Chief Minister" "Chancellor" and "Taoiseach": alternative titles usually equivalent in meaning to, or translated as, "prime minister."

In some presidential or semi-presidential systems such as those of France, Russia or South Korea the prime minister is an official generally appointed by the President but usually approved by the legislature and responsible for carrying out the directives of the President and managing the civil service. (The premier of the Republic of China is also appointed by the president, but requires no approval by the legislature. Appointment of the prime minister of France requires no approval by the parliament either, but the parliament can force the resignation of the government.) In these systems, it is possible for the president and the prime minister to be from different political parties if the legislature is controlled by a party different from that of the president. When it arises, such a state of affairs is usually referred to as (political) cohabitation.

[edit] Entry into office

In parliamentary systems a prime minister can enter into office by sevral means.

  • By appointment by the Head of State, without reference to parliament: While in practice most Prime Ministers under the Westminster system (including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Malaysia, India and the United Kingdom) are the leaders of the largest party in parliament, technically the appointment of the Prime Minister is a royal prerogative exercised by the Queen or the Governor-General. No parliamentary vote takes place on who is forming a government. However as the government will have to outline its legislative programme to parliament in the Speech from the Throne, the speech is sometimes used to test parliamentary support. A defeat on the Speech is taken to mean a Loss of Confidence and so requires either a new draft (a humiliating act no government would contemplate), resignation, or a request for a dissolution of parliament. Until the early 20th century governments when defeated in a general election remained in power until their Speech from the Throne was defeated and then resigned. No government has done so for one hundred years, though Edward Heath in 1974 did delay his resignation while he explored whether he could form a government with Liberal support.
In such systems unwritten (and unenforceable) constitutional conventions often outline the order in which people are asked to form a government. If the Prime Minister resigns after a general election, the monarch usually asks the Leader of the Opposition to form a government. Where however a resignation occurs during a parliament (unless the government has itself collapsed) the monarch will ask another member of the government to form a government. While previously the monarch had some leeway in whom to ask, all British political parties now elect their leaders (until 1965 the Conservatives chose their leader by informal consultation). The last time the monarch had a choice over the appointment occurred in 1963 when the Earl of Home was asked to become Prime Minister ahead of Rab Butler.
  • Appointment by the head of state after parliament nominates a candidate: Example: The Republic of Ireland where the President of Ireland appoints the Taoiseach on the nomination of the Dáil Éireann.
  • The head of state nominates a candidate for prime minister who is then submitted to parliament for approval before appointment as prime minister: Example: Spain, where the King sends a nomination to parliament for approval. Also Germany where under the Basic Law (constitution) the Bundestag votes on a candidate nominated by the Federal President. In these cases, parliament can choose another candidate who then would be appointed by the head of state.
  • The head of state appoints a prime minister who has a set timescale within which s/he must gain a vote of confidence: (Example: Italy.)
  • Direct election by parliament: (Example: The Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and the Australian Capital Territory.)
  • Direct election by the public (Example: Israel, 1996-2001, where the prime minister was elected in a general election, with no regard to political affiliation.)
  • Appointment by a state office holder other than the head of state or his/her representative: (Example: Under the modern Swedish Instrument of Government, the power to commission someone to form a government has been moved from the Monarch to the Speaker of Parliament, who, once it has been approved, formally makes the appointment.

Though most prime ministers are 'appointed', they are often inaccurately described as 'elected'.

[edit] Prime ministers and constitutions

The position, power and status of prime ministers differ depending on the age of the constitution in individuals.

Australia's Constitution makes no mention of a Prime Minister of Australia.

Canada's Constitution, being a 'mixed' or hybrid constitution (a constitution that is partly formally codified and partly uncodified) originally did not make any reference whatsoever to a Prime Minister, with his specific duties and method of appointment instead dictated by "convention." In the Constitution Act, 1982, passing reference to a "Prime Minister of Canada" is added, though only regarding the composition of conferences of federal and provincial first ministers.

Germany's Basic Law (1949) lists the powers, functions and duties of the federal Chancellor.

Malta's Constitution (1964) lists the powers, functions and duties of the Prime Minister of Malta.

The Republic of Ireland's constitution, Bunreacht na hÉireann (1937), provides for the office of Taoiseach in detail, listing powers, functions and duties.

The United Kingdom's Constitution, being uncodified and largely unwritten, makes no mention of a Prime Minister. Though it had de facto existed for centuries, its first mention in official state documents did not occur until the first decade of the twentieth century. Accordingly, it is often said "not to exist", indeed there are several instances of parliament declaring this to be the case. The prime minister sits in the cabinet solely by virtue of occupying another office, either First Lord of the Treasury (office in commission), or more rarely Chancellor of the Exchequer (the last being Balfour in 1905).

[edit] Exit from office

Contrary to popular and journalistic belief, most prime ministers in parliamentary systems are not appointed for a specific term in office and in effect may remain in power through a number of elections and parliaments. For example, Margaret Thatcher was only ever appointed prime minister on one occasion, in 1979. She remained continuously in power until 1990, though she used the assembly of each House of Commons after a general election to reshuffle her cabinet. Some states, however, do have a term of office of the prime minister linked to the period in office on the parliament. Hence the Irish Taoiseach is formally 'renominated' after every general election. (Some constitutional experts have questioned whether this process is actually in keeping with the provisions of the Irish constitution, which appear to suggest a taoiseach should remain in office, without the requirement of a renomination, unless s/he has clearly lost the general election.) The position of prime minister is normally chosen from the political party that commands majority of seats in the lower house of parliament.

In parliamentary systems, governments are generally required to have the confidence of the lower house of parliament (though a small minority of parliaments, by giving a right to block Supply to upper houses, in effect make the cabinet responsible to both houses, though in reality upper houses, even when they have the power, rarely exercise it). Where they lose a vote of confidence, have a motion of no confidence passed against them, or where they lose Supply, most constitutional systems require either:

a) a letter of resignation or

b) a request of a parliamentary dissolution.

The latter in effect allows the government to appeal the opposition of parliament to the electorate. However in many jurisdictions a head of state may refuse a parliamentary dissolution, requiring the resignation of the prime minister and his or her government. In most modern parliamentary systems, the prime minister is the person who decides when to request a parliamentary dissolution. Older constitutions often vest this power in the cabinet. (In the United Kingdom, for example, the tradition whereby it is the prime minister who requests a dissolution of parliament dates back to 1918. Prior to then, it was the entire government that made the request. Similarly, though the modern 1937 Irish constitution grants to the Taoiseach the right to make the request, the earlier 1922 Irish Free State Constitution vested the power in the Executive Council (the then name for the Irish cabinet).

[edit] Titles

A number of different terms are used to describe prime ministers. In Germany and Austria the prime minister is actually titled Federal Chancellor (Bundeskanzler) while the Irish prime minister is called the Taoiseach. In many cases, though commonly used, "prime minister" is not the official title of the office-holder; the Spanish prime minister is the President of the Government (Presidente del Gobierno). Other common forms include President of the Council of Ministers (for example in Italy, Presidente del Consiglio dei Ministri), President of the Executive Council, or Minister-President. In federations, the head of government of subnational entities like states or provinces is most commonly known as the Premier, Chief Minister or Minister-president.

In non-Commonwealth countries the prime minister may be entitled to the style of Excellency like a President. In some Commonwealth countries Prime Ministers and former Prime Ministers are styled Right Honourable.

[edit] Chairman or chief?

Irish political scientist Professor Brian Farrell coined the term "Chairman or Chief" to describe the two alternative concepts of prime ministerial leadership, in his book of the same name about the office of Taoiseach.[2] The term, widely used in political science worldwide, draws a distinction between a head of government who is merely a facilitator and co-ordinator of a cabinet (the "chairman"), and those who lead it forcefully from the front, setting its policy agenda and requiring all ministers to follow the leader's policies (the "chief").

Fidel Castro, the current Prime Minister of Cuba.
Fidel Castro, the current Prime Minister of Cuba.

Examples of "chairmen" have included Bertie Ahern (Ireland), John Major (United Kingdom) and Couve de Murville (France), while examples of chiefs included Sean Lemass (Ireland), Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair (United Kingdom), and Jacques Chirac when prime minister under cohabitation.

Not every prime minister fits exclusively into either category: Eamon de Valera, though a strong personality, was only interested in controlling some of his government's agenda (usually constitutional matters and Anglo-Irish affairs), and allowed large areas to decided by his colleagues. Though superficially a chief (and called "the Chief" [the literal translation of Taoiseach] by his colleagues) historians see him as more of a chairman, particularly in later governments. Winston Churchill too, though superficially a "chief", was more chairmanlike in later governments and in those areas in which he had little personal interest.

As well as describing office holders, individual offices could be described as belonging to one or other category. Among the more dominant prime ministerial offices in terms of powers, and so more chieflike, are the premierships of Ireland and Spain, where premiers can hire and fire at will. In contrast, offices such as President of the Executive Council of the Irish Free State, Prime Minister of the Third French Republic, and the premierships of Belgium and The Netherlands are more chairmanlike in format. Lijphart referred to the premiership of the Netherlands as "primus inter pares without due emphasis on primus".[3]

[edit] Description of the role

Wilfried Martens, who served as Prime Minister of Belgium, described his role as follows:

First of all [the Prime Minister] must listen a lot, and when deep disagreements occur, he must suggest a solution to the matter. This can be done in different ways. Sometimes during the discussion, I note the elements of the problem and think of a proposal I can formulate to the Council (cabinet), the Secretary taking notes. The Ministers then insist on changing commas and full stops. The Prime Minister can also make a proposal which leaves enough room for amendments in order to keep the current discussion on the right tracks. When a solution must be found in order to reach a consensus, he can force one or two Ministers to join or resign.[4]

[edit] Articles on prime ministers

[edit] Lists of prime ministers

The following table groups the list of past and present prime ministers and details information available in those lists.

Helen Clark, the current Prime Minister of New Zealand.
Helen Clark, the current Prime Minister of New Zealand.
Country List starts Table shows
parties?		 Term given by
years or dates?		 Present Incumbent
Afghanistan 1953 - years (Post Abolished)
Albania 1912 - years Sali Berisha
Algeria 1962 yes years Abdelaziz Belkhadem
Andorra 1982 - years Albert Pintat
Angola 1975 - dates Fernando da Piedade Dias dos Santos
Anguilla 1976 yes dates Osbourne Fleming
Antigua and Barbuda 1981 - years Baldwin Spencer
Armenia 1918 yes dates Andranik Markaryan
Aruba 1986 - dates Nelson O. Oduber
Australia 1901 yes dates John Howard
Austria 1918 yes years Wolfgang Schüssel
Bahamas 1967 - dates Perry Christie
Bahrain 1970 - years Sheikh Khalifah ibn Sulman Al Khalifah
Bangladesh 1971 yes dates Iajuddin Ahmed (interim)
Barbados 1954 yes dates Owen Arthur
Belarus 1990 - dates Sergey Sidorsky
Belgium 1918 - dates Guy Verhofstadt
Belize 1973 yes years Said Musa
Benin 1957 yes dates (Post Abolished)
Bermuda 1968 yes dates Ewart Brown
Bhutan 1952 - dates Lyonpo Khandu Wangchuk
Botswana 1965 yes dates (Post Abolished)
Brazil 1847 yes dates (Post Abolished)
British Virgin islands 1967 yes dates Orlando Smith
Bulgaria 1879 yes dates Sergey Stanishev
Burkina Faso 1971 - dates Paramanga Ernest Yonli
Burundi 1961 yes dates (Post Abolished)
Cambodia 1996 - years Hun Sen
Cameroon 1960 - dates Ephraïm Inoni
Canada 1867 yes dates Stephen Harper
Cape Verde 1975 - dates José Maria Neves
Cayman islands 1992 yes dates Kurt Tibbetts
Central African Republic 1958 - dates Élie Doté
Chad 1978 - dates Pascal Yoadimnadji
China, People's Republic of 1949 - dates Wen Jiabao
Comoros 1957 yes dates (Post Abolished)
Congo (Brazzaville) 1957 yes dates Isidore Mvouba
Congo (Kinshasa) 1960 yes dates (Post Abolished)
Cook Islands 1965 yes dates Jim Marurai
Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) 1957 yes dates Charles Konan Banny
Croatia 1990 - dates Ivo Sanader
Cyprus, North 1983 yes dates Ferdi Sabit Soyer
Cuba 1940 - dates Fidel Castro
Czech Republic 1969 - years Mirek Topolánek
Denmark 1848 - years Anders Fogh Rasmussen
Djibouti 1977 - dates Dileita Mohamed Dileita
Dominica 1960 - dates Roosevelt Skerrit
East Timor 2002 - dates José Ramos Horta
Egypt 1878 - years Ahmed Nazif
Equatorial Guinea 1963 - dates Ricardo Mangue Obama Nfubea
Estonia 1991 - dates Andrus Ansip
Ethiopia 1942 yes dates Meles Zenawi
Faroe islands 1946 - years Jóannes Eidesgaard
Fiji 1966 - dates Frank Bainimarama (interim)
Finland 1917 yes years Matti Vanhanen
France 1815 - years Dominique de Villepin
Gabon 1957 yes dates Jean Eyeghe Ndong
The Gambia 1961 - dates (Post Abolished)
Georgia 1918 yes dates Zurab Nogaideli
Ghana 1957 - dates (Post Abolished)
Germany 1871 yes dates Angela Merkel
Gibraltar 1964 yes dates Peter Caruana
Greece 1833 - dates Kostas Karamanlis
Greenland 1979 - years Hans Enoksen
Grenada 1954 - years Keith Mitchell
Guernsey 2007 - dates Mike Torode
Guinea 1972 - dates (vacant)
Guinea-Bissau 1973 - dates Aristides Gomes
Guyana 1953 - dates Sam Hinds
Haiti 1988 - dates Jacques-Edouard Alexis
Hungary 1848 - dates Ferenc Gyurcsány
Iceland 1904 - dates Geir Haarde
India 1947 yes dates Manmohan Singh
Indonesia 1945 yes dates (Post Abolished)
Iran 1824 - years (Post Abolished)
Iraq 1920 - years Nouri al-Maliki
Ireland 1937 yes dates Bertie Ahern
Israel 1948 - years Ehud Olmert
Italy 1861 - years Romano Prodi
Jamaica 1959 - years Portia Simpson-Miller
Japan 1885 - dates Shinzo Abe
Jersey 2005 - dates Frank Walker
Jordan 1944 - dates Marouf al-Bakhit
Kazakhstan 1928 - years Daniyal Akhmetov
Korea, North 1948 - years Pak Pong-ju
Korea, South 1948 - years Han Myeong Sook
Kuwait 1962 - dates Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah
Kyrgyzstan 1991 - dates Feliks Kulov
Laos 1941 - years Bouasone Bouphavanh
Latvia 1990 yes dates Aigars Kalvītis
Lebanon 1926 - dates Fouad Siniora
Lesotho 1965 yes dates Pakalitha Mosisili
Libya 1951 - dates Baghdadi Mahmudi
Liechtenstein 1921 yes dates Otmar Hasler
Lithuania 1990 yes dates Gediminas Kirkilas
Luxembourg 1959 - years Jean-Claude Juncker
Macedonia 1991 yes dates Nikola Gruevski
Madagascar 1833 - dates Jacques Sylla
Malawi 1963 yes dates (Post Abolished)
Malaysia 1957 yes years Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
Mali 1957 yes dates Ousmane Issoufi Maïga
Malta 1921 yes years Lawrence Gonzi
Isle of Man 1986 - years Donald Gelling
Mauritania 1957 yes dates Sidi Mohamed Ould Boubacar
Mauritius 1961 yes dates Navin Ramgoolam
Moldova 1990 - dates Vasile Tarlev
Monaco 1911 n/a dates Jean-Paul Proust
Mongolia 1912 yes dates Miyeegombo Enkhbold
Montenegro 1879 yes dates Željko Šturanović
Montserrat 1960 yes dates Lowell Lewis
Morocco 1955 yes years Driss Jettou
Mozambique 1974 yes dates Luisa Diogo
Myanmar (Burma) 1948 yes dates Soe Win
Nagorno-Karabakh 1992 - dates Anushavan Danielyan
Namibia 1990 yes dates Nahas Angula
Nepal 1953 - dates Girija Prasad Koirala
Netherlands 1945 yes dates Jan Peter Balkenende
Netherlands Antilles 1954 yes years Emily de Jongh-Elhage
New Zealand 1856 yes dates Helen Clark
Newfoundland 1855 yes dates (Post Abolished)
Niger 1958 yes dates Hama Amadou
Norfolk island 1896 - dates David Buffett
Norway 1814 - years Jens Stoltenberg
Pakistan 1947 - dates Shaukat Aziz
Palestine 2003 yes dates Ismail Haniya
Papua New Guinea 1975 yes years Sir Michael Somare
Peru 1975 yes dates Jorge del Castillo
Philippines 1899 yes dates (Post Abolished)
Poland 1917 - dates Jarosław Kaczyński
Portugal 1834 yes dates José Sócrates
Qatar 1972 - dates Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifah Al Thani
Romania 1862 - years Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu
Russia 1991 yes dates Mikhail Fradkov
Rwanda 1960 yes dates Bernard Makuza
Saint Kitts and Nevis 1960 - dates Denzil Douglas
Saint Lucia 1960 - dates Sir John Compton
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1956 - dates Ralph Gonsalves
Samoa 1875 yes dates Tuila'epa Sailele Malielegaoi
São Tomé and Principe 1974 yes dates Tomé Vera Cruz
Senegal 1957 yes dates Macky Sall
Serbia 1805 - years Vojislav Koštunica
Singapore 1965 - dates Lee Hsien Loong
Slovakia 1918 - dates Robert Fico
Slovenia 1990 yes years Janez Janša
Solomon islands 1949 yes dates Manasseh Sogavare
Somalia 1949 yes dates Ali Mohammed Ghedi
South Africa 1910 - dates (Post Abolished)
Spain 1902 yes years José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero
Sri Lanka 1948 - dates Ratnasiri Wickremanayake
The Sudan 1952 yes dates (Post Abolished)
Swaziland 1967 - years Themba Dlamini
Sweden 1876 yes years Fredrik Reinfeldt
Syria 1920 - dates Muhammad Naji al-Otari
Taiwan (ROC) 1911 - dates Su Tseng-chang
Tajikistan 1992 - dates Okil Okilov
Tanzania 1960 yes dates Edward Lowassa
Thailand 1932 - years Surayud Chulanont
Togo 1956 yes dates Yawovi Agboyibo
Tokelau 1992 - dates Kolouei O'Brien
Tonga 1876 - years Feleti Sevele
Trinidad and Tobago 1956 - dates Patrick Manning
Tunisia 1969 - dates Mohamed Ghannouchi
Turkey 1920 yes dates Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
Turks and Caicos Islands 1976 yes dates Michael Misick
Tuvalu 1975 n/a dates Apisai Ielemia
Uganda 1961 yes dates Apolo Nsibambi
Ukraine 1990 - dates Viktor Yanukovych
United Arab Emirates 1971 - years Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
United Kingdom 1721 yes dates Tony Blair
Uzbekistan 1995 - dates Shavkat Mirziyoyev
Vanuatu 1980 yes dates Ham Lini
Vatican 1644 n/a years Tarcisio Cardinal Bertone
Vietnam 1976 yes dates Nguyễn Tấn Dũng
Yemen 1990 yes years Abdul Qadir Bajamal
Zambia 1964 yes dates (Post Abolished)

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ Contrary to popular perception the two posts are separate and need not be held by the one person. The last prime minister not to be First Lord of the Treasury was Lord Salisbury at the turn of the 20th century. 10 Downing Street is actually the First Lord's residence, not the Prime Minister's. As Salisbury was not First Lord he had to live elsewhere as prime minister.
  2. ^ Brian F. Farrell, Chairman or Chief? The Role of Taoiseach in Irish Government (1971)
  3. ^ Jean Blondel & Ferdinand Muller-Rommel (eds) Cabinets in Western Europe Macmillan, 1993 edition. p.81.
  4. ^ Wilfried Martens, quoted in ibid.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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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