Council of Ministers of France
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The Council of Ministers of France (or Executive Council) is a body of top administration members of the Prime Minister's cabinet. In French, the word gouvernement generally refers to the "Administration", but in a narrower sense to the cabinet.
The Council is responsible to the French Parliament. The National Assembly may choose to pass a motion of censure forcing the Council of Ministers to resign. This has the effect of forcing the Administration and cabinet to be drawn from the majority political party in the Assembly or to be allied to the majority in coalition. Ministers are required to answer written or oral questions put to them by members of Parliament; such questions are known as questions au gouvernement "administration inquiries". In addition, ministers attend sessions of the Parliament Houses when laws concerning their assigned sectors and departmental portfolios are under consideration.
Cabinet ministers cannot propose legislation without parliamentary approval, though the Prime Minister may under certain limits enact statutes, i.e., ministerial orders with statutory force. Ministers can however propose bills to Parliament and any such legislation is generally very likely to pass. On occasion, the majority opinion in Parliament may differ significantly from those of the executive, resulting in a large number of riders.
Traditionally, Council members are subdivided into three levels:
- ministers - highest-ranking members of the Administration
- deputy ministers (ministres délégués) - assist ministers in specialized areas of their portfolio
- secretaries of State (secrétaires d'État) - assist ministers in less important areas and occasionally attend sessions of the Council of Ministers.
- Before the Fifth Republic was established, some ministers of high political importance were known as "Ministers of State" (ministres d'État). This practice has continued under the Fifth Republic in a purely honorific fashion where ministers are styled Ministers of State and carry higher prestige in the Council of Ministers.
The Cabinet plays a major role in determining the agenda of the Parliament Houses. It can propose laws and amendments during parliamentary sessions. It also has a number of procedures at its disposal to expedite parliamentary deliberations.
The Council of Ministers usually holds sessions on Wednesday mornings at the Élysée Palace and is chaired by the French President.
[edit] List of Government Ministers
Head of the Administration: the Prime Minister of France.
The number and titles held by ministers and the division of duties and purviews between them varies from cabinet to the next.
Current Ministerial positions (with their current titles):
- Minister of the Ecology, Energy, Sustainable Development and Planning
- Minister of Territorial Development ("Aménagement du Territoire") - see Minister of the Environnement
- Minister of Transportation - see Minister of the Environnement
- Minister of Public Works ("Travaux Publics" or "Equipement") - see Minister of the Environnement
- Minister of the Sea - see Minister of the Environnement
- Minister of the Interior, Overseas and Territorial Collectivities (combined with Minister of Worship - Ministre des cultes)
- Minister of Foreign and European Affairs
- Minister for the Economy, Industry and Employment
- Minister of Tourism - see Minister of the Economy
- Minister of Labour, Social Relations, Family, Solidarity and City (formerly "Minister of Social Affairs")
- Minister of Justice and "Keeper of the Seals"
- Minister of Agriculture and Fishing
- Minister of National Education (formerly "Minister of Public Instruction")
- Minister of Higher Education and Research
- Minister of Defence
- Minister of Health and Sports
- Minister of Housing
- Minister of Culture and Communication
- Minister of Budget, Public Accounting and Civil Servants
- Minister of Immigration, Integration, National Identity and Solidary Development
Ministerial positions which no longer exist:
- Minister of Posts, Telegraphs, and Telephones
- Minister of Labour and Social Security Provisions - see "Minister of Employment"
- Minister of War - see "Minister of Defence"
- Minister of the Marine - formerly "Minister of Marine and Colonies"
- Minister of the Merchant Marine
- Minister of National Economy (e.g. under the Popular Front - merged with Minister of Finance)
- Minister of the Blockade ("Ministre du Blocus") - during World War I
- Minister of Air - merged into Minister of Defense
- Minister of Information - formerly Minister of Propaganda
- Minister of Pensions - merged into Minister of the Economy
- Minister of Commerce and Industry - merged into Minister of the Economy, Finance and Industry
- Minister of Police (1796-1818, 1852-53) - merged into Minister of the Interior
- Post-War Ministerial positions:
Secretaries of State and Ministers during the Ancien Régime
- Principal ministre de l'état - see Prime Minister of France
- Controller-General of Finances
- Chancellor of France
- Constable of France
- Secretary of State for War (France)
- Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (France)
- Secretary of State of the Maison du Roi - also oversaw Religious Affairs, the Buildings of the King, and administration of Paris and the provinces.
- Secretary of State of the Navy (France)
- Secretary of State for Protestant Affairs
