This is an accepted version of this page
96-519: The prime minister of New Zealand ( Māori : Te pirimia o Aotearoa ) is the head of government of New Zealand . The incumbent prime minister, Christopher Luxon , leader of the New Zealand National Party , took office on 27 November 2023. The prime minister (informally abbreviated to PM) ranks as the most senior government minister . They are responsible for chairing meetings of Cabinet ; allocating posts to ministers within
192-499: A broader sense, a head of government can be used loosely when referring to various comparable positions under a dominant head of state (especially is the case of ancient or feudal eras, so the term "head of government", in this case, could be considered a contradiction in terms). In this case, the prime minister serves at the pleasure of the monarch and holds no more power than the monarch allows. Some such titles are diwan, mahamantri , pradhan , wasir or vizier . However, just because
288-517: A confidence vote by the NDP and Greens. The agreement, which was intended to remain in effect until the next fixed election in October 2021, was ended early when premier John Horgan requested the lieutenant governor call a snap election in 2020 . On 2 November 2018 (less than two months after the 2018 New Brunswick general election ) the legislative assembly voted 25-23 for a motion, introduced by
384-779: A confidence-and-supply agreement with the Liberal Party , in a deal which became known as the Lib-Lab Pact . In return, the Labour Party agreed to modest policy concessions for the Liberal Party. In the aftermath of the 2017 general election which left Theresa May 's Conservative Party without a majority, a confidence-and-supply agreement was agreed with the Democratic Unionist Party . Confidence and supply deals are more frequent in
480-692: A confidence-and-supply agreement with the Liberal government. In November 2008, the Liberal Party and the New Democratic Party (NDP) reached an agreement to form a minority coalition government, with the Bloc Québécois having signed a confidence agreement to support the proposed coalition. However, the proposed coalition and confidence agreement fell apart in January 2009, as a result of an ensuing parliamentary dispute . In 2022,
576-423: A constitution. In presidential republics or in absolute monarchies , the head of state is also usually the head of government. The relationship between that leader and the government, however, can vary greatly, ranging from separation of powers to autocracy , according to the constitution (or other basic laws) of the particular state. In semi-presidential systems , the head of government may answer to both
672-598: A few months into the 44th Canadian Parliament , the NDP agreed to a confidence-and-supply agreement with the governing Liberal Party, to continue the Liberal minority government . The deal was intended to keep the minority Liberal government in power until 2025, with the NDP agreeing to support the government on confidence motions and budget votes. In exchange, the Liberal government pledged to advance work on key NDP policy priorities on dental care, pharmaceutical drugs, and affordable childcare. NDP leader Jagmeet Singh announced
768-422: A head of government is Prime Minister . This is used as a formal title in many states, but may also be an informal generic term to refer to whichever office is considered the principal minister under an otherwise styled head of state , as minister — Latin for servants or subordinates—is a common title for members of a government (but many other titles are in use, e.g. chancellor and secretary of state). Formally
864-530: A large majority, the party system and tight control of party members by whips helped heads of government to direct the passage of legislation in the House of Representatives. In 1893, the premier gained the ability to restrict the term of appointments to the Legislative Council . After 1900, Richard Seddon , the incumbent head of government, used the title of "prime minister". The change of title
960-435: A motion of confidence fail, or a motion of no confidence pass, the government will usually either resign and allow other politicians to form a new government, or call an election. Most parliamentary democracies require an annual state budget, an appropriation bill , also called supply bill, or occasional financial measures to be passed by parliament in order for a government to pay its way and enact its policies. The failure of
1056-410: A president, chancellor, or prime minister, and the relationship between that position and other state institutions, such as the relation between the head of state and of the legislature, varies greatly among sovereign states, depending largely on the particular system of the government that has been chosen, won, or evolved over time. In most parliamentary systems , including constitutional monarchies ,
SECTION 10
#17327805312121152-447: A supply bill is in effect the same as the failure of a confidence motion. In early modern England, the withholding of funds was one of Parliament 's few ways of controlling the monarch . The Australian Labor Party Gillard government formed a minority government in the hung parliament elected at the 2010 federal election resulting from a confidence-and-supply agreement with three independent MPs and one Green MP. Following
1248-758: Is alleged that the increased personalisation of leadership in a number of states has led to heads of government becoming themselves "semi-presidential" figures, due in part to media coverage of politics that focuses on the leader and his or her mandate, rather than on parliament; and to the increasing centralisation of power in the hands of the head of government. Such allegations have been made against three former British Prime ministers: Margaret Thatcher , Tony Blair , and Boris Johnson . They were also made against Italian prime ministers Silvio Berlusconi and Matteo Renzi , Canadian prime minister Pierre Trudeau and Federal Chancellor of West Germany (later all of Germany), Helmut Kohl , when in power. The head of government
1344-562: Is also traditional for the monarch to bestow a knighthood or damehood on prime ministers after they leave office, and two prime ministers were knighted while still in office (namely Sir Keith Holyoake in 1970, and Sir Robert Muldoon in 1983). The Diplomatic Protection Service (DPS) is a special branch of the New Zealand Police that is charged with protecting the prime minister (and their family) and other senior government officials, as well as diplomats. The DPS provides
1440-485: Is no substantial evidence for the claim. New Zealand is one of the few countries in the world to have had three female heads of government and one of only three countries to have had a female head of government directly succeed another. The first female prime minister was Jenny Shipley of the National Party , who replaced Jim Bolger in late 1997; Shipley was succeeded by Helen Clark in 1999. Jacinda Ardern ,
1536-466: Is often provided with an official residence , often in the same fashion as heads of state often are. The name of the residence is often used as a metonym or alternative title for 'the government' when the office is politically the highest, e.g. in the UK "Downing Street announced today…" Well-known official residences of heads of government include: Similarly, heads of government of federal entities below
1632-475: Is set to be replaced by 2028. Former officeholders are entitled to annuity and travel payments for the rest of their lives. Former prime ministers who held the office for no less than two years are entitled to a yearly rate of $ 10,900 for each complete year the person held office, with a maximum of $ 54,500 payable annually. Former prime ministers, when travelling within New Zealand, are eligible to be paid if
1728-402: Is the highest or the second-highest official of a sovereign state , a federated state , or a self-governing colony , autonomous region , or other government who often presides over a cabinet , a group of ministers or secretaries who lead executive departments. In diplomacy , "head of government" is differentiated from " head of state ". The authority of a head of government, such as
1824-562: The 2014 election, National re-entered confidence-and-supply agreements with United Future, the ACT Party, and the Māori Party. In 2017, despite National winning more votes than Labour in the election, New Zealand First chose to enter coalition with Labour to help them change the government, with support on confidence and supply from the left-wing Green Party . Between 1977 and 1978, Jim Callaghan's Labour Party stayed in power thanks to
1920-607: The 2023 New South Wales state election , the Labor opposition reached 45 out of 47 seats required for a majority. Independent MLAs, Alex Greenwich , Greg Piper , and Joe McGirr entered into a confidence-and-supply agreement with the Labor government. Following the 2024 Tasmanian state election , the incumbent Liberal government reached 14 out of 18 seats required for a majority. The Jacqui Lambie Network , along with Independent MHAs, David O'Byrne and Kristie Johnston entered into
2016-802: The Andreotti III Cabinet was formed in 1976 with a confidence and supply agreement between the Christian Democrats and the Italian Communist Party , referred to as "the historic compromise" ( Italian : il compromesso storico ), in which the Communist Party agreed not to vote against the government during confidence votes. The Dini Cabinet , formed in 1995, and the Monti Cabinet , formed in 2011, were technocratic governments which relied on
SECTION 20
#17327805312122112-535: The COVID-19 pandemic . This is the first such agreement signed to ensure bipartisan cooperation . In New Zealand, confidence and supply arrangements are common due to the MMP system used in the country. The parties providing confidence and supply have a more prominent role than in other countries, with MPs from the support parties often being appointed to ministerial portfolios outside of Cabinet. New Zealand codified
2208-469: The COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand . As of July 2024, the prime minister's salary is set at NZ$ 498,300. In addition, like all other ministers and MPs, the prime minister receives annual allowances for travel and lodging, as do the prime minister's spouse and children. The incumbent prime minister's official residence is Premier House , Tinakori Road, Wellington. There the prime minister hosts receptions and events for New Zealand and overseas guests. Unlike
2304-619: The Civil List of 1873, provision was made for the salary of the head of government "being the Prime Minister". Initially, premiers acted as mere advisers to the governor—with the governor at times a very active partner. This began to change during the first tenure of Edward Stafford. Stafford met with his ministers and made decisions outside of the Executive Council (which was chaired by the governor), thus establishing
2400-698: The General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party ( top leader in a one-party system) has always held this office since 1993 except for the months of transition . In directorial systems , the executive responsibilities of the head of government are spread among a group of people. A prominent example is the Swiss Federal Council , where each member of the council heads a department and also votes on proposals relating to all departments. The most common title for
2496-561: The Progressive Conservatives , to amend the throne speech to declare no confidence in the government. Subsequently, Premier Brian Gallant indicated his intention to resign the premiership and recommend to the lieutenant governor that PC leader Blaine Higgs be given the mandate to form a minority government: "I will go see the lieutenant-governor at her earliest convenience to inform her that I will be resigning as premier, and I will humbly suggest to her honour to allow
2592-594: The government ; acting as the spokesperson for the government; and providing advice to the sovereign or the sovereign's representative, the governor-general . They also have ministerial responsibility for the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet , which is based in the Beehive in Wellington. The office exists by a long-established convention , which originated in New Zealand's former colonial power,
2688-403: The mixed-member proportional (MMP) system was introduced in 1996 , prime ministers have had to manage minority governments. The skill of MMP management was exemplified by Helen Clark 's nine years as prime minister (1999–2008), when her Labour government remained in power thanks to a range of confidence-and-supply agreements with five smaller parties. Until the premiership of Helen Clark, it
2784-469: The 1940s the prime minister's profile rose as New Zealand signed several international treaties. In 1967, Keith Holyoake became the first New Zealand prime minister to select candidates for the position of governor-general without any involvement of the British government. Holyoake advised the monarch, Queen Elizabeth II , to appoint Sir Arthur Porritt , the first New Zealand-born governor-general. After
2880-429: The 1998 election, leaving clear control to the opposition, a so-called "Twisted Diet" . The Hashimoto Cabinet resigned to give way for a new cabinet led by prime minister Keizō Ōbuchi which entered formal negotiations with other parties to form a coalition government by January 1999 (First Reshuffled Obuchi Cabinet). There is another implicit form of cooperation where (usually very small) parties which are not part of
2976-612: The Congress Party from 2004 to 2008, but later withdrew support after the India–United States Civil Nuclear Agreement . After the 2016 general election , a minority government was formed by Fine Gael and some independents, with confidence and supply ( Irish : muinín agus soláthar ) support from Fianna Fáil in return for a published set of policy commitments from the government. Fianna Fáil abstained on confidence and supply votes, but reserved
Prime Minister of New Zealand - Misplaced Pages Continue
3072-482: The Prime Minister provides advice and support on political party matters. The style of " The Right Honourable " (abbreviated to "The Rt Hon") is always granted to the prime minister upon taking office. Former prime ministers retain this style for the remainder of their lives. The written form of address for the head of government should use their full parliamentary title as applicable: The Right Honourable [name], [post-nominal letters], Prime Minister of New Zealand . It
3168-556: The Privy Council, meaning Key was styled "The Honourable". On 3 August 2010, the Queen granted the prime minister, along with the governor-general, speaker of the House of Representatives and chief justice , the style "Right Honourable" upon appointment. On 21 June 2018, Labour's Jacinda Ardern became the first prime minister of New Zealand (and second elected head of government in the world) to give birth while in office. Ardern
3264-546: The Savage Memorial at Bastion Point in Auckland . Assuming that Henry Sewell is counted as the first prime minister, 42 individuals have held the office since it was established. Some of these people have held it on several separate occasions, with the record for maximum number of times being shared between William Fox and Harry Atkinson (both of whom served four times). The longest that anyone has served in
3360-690: The Tories in an attempt to ensure his party's issues were on the government's agenda. Twenty-two days after the 1985 Ontario provincial election , the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario government resigned after a vote of no confidence , and the Ontario Liberal Party formed a government with the support of the Ontario New Democratic Party . The agreement between the two parties
3456-417: The basis of the strength of party support in the lower house; in some other states, the head of government is directly elected by parliament. Many parliamentary systems require ministers to serve in parliament, while others ban ministers from sitting in parliament (they must resign on becoming ministers). Heads of government are typically removed from power in a parliamentary system by Constitutions differ in
3552-565: The cabinet join one of the ruling parties in joint parliamentary groups in one or both houses of the National Diet and vote with the government. A recent example were the joint LDP groups with the Party for Japanese Kokoro and New Party Daichi during the 2nd Reshuffled Third Abe Cabinet. A confidence and supply agreement was signed on 13 September 2021 between Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan to strengthen political stability amid
3648-409: The collegial Government , whose members are all appointed and dismissed at the Prime Minister's sole discretion. Under the unwritten British constitution , the prime minister 's role has evolved, based often on the individual's personal appeal and strength of character, as contrasted between, for example, Winston Churchill as against Clement Attlee , Margaret Thatcher as against John Major . It
3744-473: The colonial-secretary and finance portfolios. As New Zealand developed, the role of minister of finance became too big; Prime Minister Sir Robert Muldoon came under criticism for taking on the finance portfolio during his time in office (1975–1984), as it resulted in a large concentration of power in the hands of one individual. Before 1987 it was common for prime ministers to take the role of minister of foreign affairs , so they could represent New Zealand on
3840-701: The confidence of the house, either by losing a confidence vote or as the result of an election, convention dictates that they should tender their resignation to the governor-general. Under the Constitution Act 1986 , general elections are required every three years, setting the maximum period a prime minister can serve without their mandate being renewed. The office of prime minister is not defined by codified laws but by unwritten customs known as constitutional conventions which developed in Britain and which New Zealand replicated. These conventions depend for
3936-625: The convention of collective ministerial responsibility . The actual ability of a prime minister to give direct orders is largely limited; most of the position's power comes about through other means, such as: Since the 1996 implementation of the MMP electoral system , the role of the prime minister in negotiating and maintaining relationships with support parties has increased, placing some constraints on prime ministerial abilities. Prime ministers also take on additional portfolios (to prioritise policy areas). Historically, 19th-century premiers looked after
Prime Minister of New Zealand - Misplaced Pages Continue
4032-609: The coordination of the implementation of key government programmes. Before 2014, the prime minister was also responsible for the New Zealand Security and Intelligence Service (NZSIS) and for the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB). In 2014, Prime Minister John Key gave himself the new portfolio of National Security and Intellegence and delegated responsibility for SIS and GCSB to other ministers. He also expanded
4128-527: The declaration of New Zealand as a Dominion in 1907, the term prime minister has been used exclusively in English. In Māori, the title pirimia , means "premier". New Zealand prime ministers are styled as " The Right Honourable ", a privilege they retain for life. Forty-two people (thirty-nine men and three women) have served as prime minister, the first of whom was Henry Sewell taking office on 7 May 1856 as premier. The longest-serving prime minister
4224-561: The early termination of the agreement on 4 September 2024. After the 2017 British Columbia provincial election , the Green Party of British Columbia agreed to a confidence-and-supply agreement in support of the British Columbia New Democratic Party . The incumbent British Columbia Liberal Party , which held a plurality of seats, briefly tried to form a government, but was immediately defeated in
4320-431: The elected members of parliament (MPs). In making this appointment, convention requires the governor-general to act on the outcome of the electoral process and subsequent discussions between political parties by which the person who will lead the government as prime minister is identified. In practice, the position typically falls to an MP who is the parliamentary leader of the largest political party among those forming
4416-546: The event as an ardent imperialist. Constitutional conventions adopted in 1930, following the Imperial Conference held that year, increased the domestic and international prestige of the prime minister. The Statute of Westminster 1931 confirmed that Dominions had exclusive power to make their laws. New Zealand initially resisted greater autonomy and did not adopt the statute until 1947 . Increasingly New Zealand began to act independently in foreign affairs. During
4512-649: The first formal party in New Zealand, the Liberal Party , forming the Liberal Government in 1891. There was little real parliamentary opposition until 1909, when William Massey organised his conservative faction to form the Reform Party . Thereafter political power centred on parties and their leaders. (Subsequent governments were led by prime ministers from the Reform, United , Labour and National parties.) Although not every government would have
4608-519: The governing coalition with the LDP until the election: the JSP and Shintō Sakigake (NPH/NPS/Sakigake). By 1997, the LDP had gained a House of Representatives majority of its own through accessions (see New Frontier Party ) and was hoping to regain full parliamentary control in the 1998 House of Councillors election. Instead, the cooperation agreement was ultimately terminated while the government lost seats in
4704-456: The government and provides (e.g. by turns) the ceremonial Head of state. The only state in which this system is currently employed is Switzerland but other countries such as Uruguay have employed it in the past . This system is described as the directorial system . See Head of state for further explanation of these cases. In parliamentary systems, government functions along the following lines: All of these requirements directly impact
4800-497: The government. The prime minister may lead a coalition government and/or a minority government dependent on support from smaller parties during confidence and supply votes. Once appointed and sworn in by the governor-general, the prime minister remains in the post until dismissal, resignation, or death in office . They, like all ministers, hold office " during the pleasure of the Governor-General ", so theoretically,
4896-622: The governor (a position then appointed by the British government). In 1917, British Prime Minister David Lloyd George offered the New Zealand prime minister a seat in the Imperial War Cabinet , the British Empire's wartime coordinating body. In 1919, Prime Minister William Massey signed the Treaty of Versailles on behalf of New Zealand, signalling the independence of New Zealand within the empire, although Massey downplayed
SECTION 50
#17327805312124992-468: The governor-general can dismiss a prime minister at any time; however, convention heavily circumscribes the power to do so. The governor-general retains reserve powers to dismiss a prime minister in certain circumstances, such as those pertaining to a no-confidence motion against the government in the House of Representatives . Where a prime minister, and by extension, the government, can no longer command
5088-415: The governor-general, to the House of Representatives, to their political party, and ultimately to the national electorate. Originally the head of government was titled "colonial secretary" or " first minister ". This was changed in 1869 to " premier ". That title remained in use for more than 30 years, until Richard Seddon changed it to " prime minister " in 1900 during his tenure in the office. Following
5184-429: The head of government is the de facto political leader of the government, and is answerable to at least one chamber of the legislature. Although there is often a formal reporting relationship to a head of state , the latter usually acts as a figurehead who may take the role of chief executive on limited occasions, either when receiving constitutional advice from the head of government or under specific provisions in
5280-401: The head of government's role. Consequently, they often play a 'day to day' role in parliament, answering questions and defending the government on the 'floor of the House', while in semi-presidential systems they may not be required to play as much of a role in the functioning of parliament. In many countries, the head of government is commissioned by the head of state to form a government, on
5376-493: The head of state and the legislature with the specifics provided by each country's constitution. A modern example is the present French government, which originated as the French Fifth Republic in 1958. In France, the president , the head of state, appoints the prime minister , who is the head of government. However, the president must choose someone who can act effectively as an executive, but who also enjoys
5472-477: The head of state can also be the head of government as well ( ex officio or by ad hoc cumulation, such as a ruling monarch exercising all powers himself) but otherwise has formal precedence over the head of government and other ministers, whether he is their actual political superior (ruling monarch, executive president) or rather theoretical or ceremonial in character (constitutional monarch, non-executive president). Various constitutions use different titles, and even
5568-411: The head of state is a figurehead whilst the head of the government leads the ruling party. In some cases a head of government may even pass on the title in hereditary fashion. Such titles include the following: In some models the head of state and head of government are one and the same. These include: An alternative formula is a single chief political body (e.g., presidium ) which collectively leads
5664-434: The head of state is the de jure dominant position does not mean that he/she will not always be the de facto political leader. A skilled head of government like 19th-century German statesman Otto von Bismarck , Minister President of Prussia and later Chancellor of Germany under Emperor / King Wilhelm I , serves as an example showing that possession of formal powers does not equal political influence. In some cases,
5760-458: The head of state, such as a governor-general , may well be housed in a grander, palace-type residence. However, this is not the case when both positions are combined into one: Confidence and supply In parliamentary democracies based on the Westminster system , confidence and supply is an arrangement under which a minority government (one which does not control a majority in
5856-449: The international stage. More recent prime ministers have taken portfolios relevant to their interests, or to promote specific areas they saw as important. For example, David Lange took the education portfolio in his second term; Helen Clark took the role of minister for arts, culture and heritage ; John Key served as minister of tourism ; and Jacinda Ardern became minister for child-poverty reduction. Although no longer likely to be
SECTION 60
#17327805312125952-400: The largest) gain positions in the cabinet and ministerial roles , and are generally expected to hold the government whip on passing legislation. In most parliamentary democracies, members of a parliament can propose a motion of confidence or of no confidence in the government or executive. The results of such motions show how much support the government currently has in parliament. Should
6048-560: The leader of the Conservative Party to attempt to form a government and attempt to gain the confidence of the house". People's Alliance leader Kris Austin said he would work with the new government "in the areas we agree on," and reiterated his promise to support the Progressive Conservatives on confidence votes for a period of 18 months. Green Party leader David Coon said he would start working with
6144-488: The legislature) receives the support of one or more parties or independent MPs on confidence votes and the state budget ("supply"). On issues other than those outlined in the confidence and supply agreement, non-government partners to the agreement are not bound to support the government on any given piece of legislation. A coalition government is a more formal arrangement than a confidence-and-supply agreement, in that members from junior parties (i.e., parties other than
6240-426: The level of the sovereign state (often without an actual head of state, at least under international law) may also be given an official residence, sometimes used as an opportunity to display aspirations of statehood: Usually, the residence of the heads of government is not as prestigious and grand as that of the head of state, even if the head of state only performs ceremonial duties. Even the formal representative of
6336-491: The minister of foreign affairs, the prime minister remains responsible for welcoming foreign heads of government, visiting leaders overseas, and attending Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings . Conventionally, the prime minister is the responsible minister for the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC; founded in 1990), which has the task of supporting the policy agenda of Cabinet through policy advice and
6432-442: The modern convention of cabinet government . Stafford also clashed with the governor over control of native affairs, which was eventually to fall within the premier's powers. Premiers were initially supported by unorganised factions based on personal interests, and their governments were short-lived. The political position of the premier was enhanced by the development of modern political parties . Premier John Ballance organised
6528-504: The most part on the underlying principle that the prime minister and fellow ministers must not lose the confidence of the democratically elected component of parliament, the House of Representatives. The prime minister is the leader of the Cabinet (itself a body existing by convention) and takes a coordinating role. The Cabinet Manual provides an outline of the prime minister's powers and responsibilities. By constitutional convention,
6624-431: The office is 13 years, a record set by Richard Seddon . The first holder of the office, Henry Sewell, led the country for the shortest total time; his only term lasted just 13 days. The shortest term belonged to Harry Atkinson, whose third term lasted only seven days, but Atkinson served longer in total than did Sewell. The youngest was Edward Stafford , who was appointed premier in 1856, at 37 years, 40 days old. The oldest
6720-611: The party. Other institutions, including Parliament itself and the wider state bureaucracy, also acted as limits on prime ministerial power; in 1912 Thomas Mackenzie was the last prime minister to lose power through an unsuccessful confidence motion in the House of Representatives. One change brought about by the First World War was direct participation in governing the British Empire. Previously, New Zealand prime ministers had attended occasional colonial and imperial conferences, but they otherwise communicated with London through
6816-476: The practical reality for the Prime Minister of Belgium and the Prime Minister of Finland . Other states however, make their head of government a central and dominant figure within the cabinet system; Ireland's Taoiseach , for example, alone can decide when to seek a parliamentary dissolution, in contrast to other countries where this is a cabinet decision, with the Prime Minister just one member voting on
6912-474: The prime minister holds formal power to advise the sovereign. This means that as long as the prime minister has the confidence of parliament, they alone may advise the monarch on: As head of government, the prime minister alone has the right to advise the governor-general to: Convention regards the prime minister as " first among equals ". A prime minister does hold the most senior post in government, but must also adhere to any decisions taken by Cabinet, as per
7008-529: The prime minister with transport; they are driven in the BMW 7 Series 730LD and 750LI, the latter of which is armoured. Although usually flown domestically on regularly scheduled Air New Zealand flights, the prime minister also makes use of Royal New Zealand Air Force aircraft, usually Boeing 757 . The 757 aircraft, which are used for international travel, has been upgraded with work stations, internal air stairs, and military communications capabilities. The 757 fleet
7104-465: The prime minister, along with the cabinet, controls domestic policy, with the president's influence largely restricted to foreign affairs. In communist states , the General Secretary of the Communist Party is the supreme leader, serving as de facto head of state and government. In China , the de jure head of government is the Premier . The Chinese president is legally a ceremonial office , but
7200-655: The procedures it used to form these Governments in its Cabinet Manual . John Key 's National Party administration formed a minority government in 2008 thanks to a confidence-and-supply agreement with the ACT , United Future and the Māori Party . A similar arrangement in 2005 had led to Helen Clark 's Labour Party forming a coalition government with the Progressive Party , with support on confidence and supply from New Zealand First and United Future . After
7296-407: The range and scope of powers granted to the head of government. Some older constitutions; for example, Australia's 1900 text , and Belgium's 1830 text ; do not mention their prime ministerial offices at all, the offices became a de facto political reality without a formal constitutional status. Some constitutions make a Prime Minister primus inter pares ( first among equals ) and that remains
7392-539: The residences of certain other heads of government (e.g. the White House and 10 Downing Street ), Premier House does not serve as the government headquarters; the location of the prime minister's office is the Beehive , in the parliament precinct a short distance away. The prime minister's governmental work is supported by the non-partisan Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. The separate Private Office of
7488-636: The right to vote for or against any bill proposed in the Dáil or Seanad . The deal lasted until the 32nd Dáil was dissolved on 14 January 2020 for a general election to be held in February 2020. In Italy, the equivalent of confidence and supply is called "external support" ( Italian : appoggio esterno ). Starting from the 1950s through the 1970s there were various examples of Christian Democratic cabinets being able to govern thanks to confidence and supply agreements with other minor parties. Most famously,
7584-678: The role of DPMC in security and intelligence. This model has been followed by subsequent prime ministers. Under the Remuneration Authority Act 1977, and the Members of Parliament (Remuneration and Services) Act 2013, a prime minister's salary is determined annually by the Remuneration Authority, an independent body established by parliament to set salaries for members of parliament and other government officials. MPs' salaries were temporarily reduced during
7680-411: The same party as the prime minister, but not necessarily so; in coalition governments, the parliamentary leader of a junior party may be offered the post. Winston Peters , leader of New Zealand First , has been deputy prime minister since 27 November 2023. Lists of the 42 people who have so far held the premiership: Head of government In the executive branch, the head of government
7776-406: The same title can have various multiple meanings, depending on the constitutional order and political system of the state in question. In addition to prime minister, titles used for the democratic model, where there is an elected legislative body checking the head of government, include the following. Some of these titles relate to governments below the national level (e.g. states or provinces). In
7872-771: The second female leader of the Labour Party after Clark, became prime minister in 2017. On becoming the Colony of New Zealand in 1841, New Zealand was directly governed by a governor , appointed by the Colonial Office in Britain. Self-government was established in 1853, following the New Zealand Constitution Act 1852 , and the First Parliament met on 24 May 1854. The origins of the office of prime minister are disputed. Use of
7968-455: The sixth person appointed to formal leadership, a substantive leadership title, "premier", appeared. Weld's successor, Edward Stafford , briefly changed the title to "first minister", but it was soon restored to premier during the second tenure of Fox in 1869. From that point, the title "premier" was used almost exclusively for the remainder of the 19th century. Nevertheless, in the Schedule of
8064-558: The suggestion. In Israel , while the Government is nominally a collegiate body with a primus inter pares role for the Prime Minister , the Israeli Prime Minister is the dominant figure in the executive branch in practice. The Prime Minister of Sweden , under the 1974 Instrument of Government , is a constitutional office with all key executive powers either directly at his or her disposal or indirectly through
8160-636: The support of France's legislature, the National Assembly , to be able to pass legislation. In some cases, the head of state may represent one political party but the majority in the National Assembly is of a different party. Given that the majority party has greater control over state funding and primary legislation , the president is in effect forced to choose a prime minister from the opposition party to ensure an effective, functioning legislature. In this case, known as cohabitation ,
8256-581: The support of the main parties in Parliament during confidence votes. In Japan , the equivalent of a confidence and supply arrangement is called "extra-cabinet cooperation" ( 閣外協力 , kakugai kyōryoku ) . The latest such agreement was made after the 1996 House of Representatives election between the Second Hashimoto Cabinet , an LDP single-party government somewhat short of majorities in both houses, and two parties which had formed
8352-484: The then United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland . The convention stipulates that when the office becomes vacant, the governor-general must select as prime minister the person most likely to command the support, or confidence, of the House of Representatives . This individual is typically the parliamentary leader of the political party that holds the largest number of seats in that house. The prime minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their actions to
8448-523: The travel is for fulfilling commitments related to his or her role as a former prime minister. Should a serving or former prime minister die, they are accorded a state funeral (subject to the approval of the family). Two prime ministers who died in office were buried in mausoleums: William Massey (died 1925) in the Massey Memorial in Wellington , and Michael Joseph Savage (died 1940) in
8544-497: The words prime minister as a descriptive term dates back to the First Parliament, where they are applied to James FitzGerald and Thomas Forsaith . FitzGerald and Forsaith had no official titles, however, and New Zealand had not yet obtained self-government. As such, they are not usually considered prime ministers in any substantive sense. The first person to be formally appointed to a position of executive leadership
8640-523: Was Henry Sewell , who formed a brief ministry in April 1856, at the beginning of the Second Parliament . Despite his formal leadership role, however, his only actual title was " colonial secretary ", a position comparable to a minister of internal affairs . His successor, William Fox , was also given a formal leadership role but was not a colonial secretary. In 1864 when Frederick Weld became
8736-403: Was Richard Seddon , who served over 13 years, and the shortest-serving was Sewell, who served two weeks. The governor-general appoints a prime minister, like other ministerial positions , on behalf of the monarch . By the conventions of responsible government , the governor-general will call to form a government the individual most likely to receive the support, or confidence, of a majority of
8832-461: Was Walter Nash , who was 78 years old when he left office in 1960 (and 75 upon taking office in 1957). It is regarded that all New Zealand prime ministers thus far have been Pākehā ( New Zealand European ), and mostly of British and Irish descent. There was persistent speculation during his lifetime that Norman Kirk (Prime Minister from 1972 to 1974) was Māori and had Kāi Tahu ancestry; he never publicly identified himself as such, and there
8928-403: Was also the first prime minister to lead a single-party majority government since the introduction of MMP, doing so from 2020 to 2023. An office titled "deputy prime minister" has existed since 1949. The deputy typically holds important ministerial portfolios and, by convention, becomes acting prime minister in the absence or incapacity of the prime minister. The deputy is commonly a member of
9024-600: Was customary for senior members of the legislature, executive and judiciary—including the prime minister—to be appointed to the British Privy Council , granting them the style "Right Honourable". This practice was discontinued at the same time as the abolition of knighthoods and damehoods in 2000 from the New Zealand royal honours system . National's John Key became prime minister in 2008 and moved to restore titular honours, but did not resume appointments to
9120-599: Was referred to as "The Accord". After the 2021 territorial election resulted in the Yukon Liberal Party and the Yukon Party winning the same number of seats, the third place Yukon New Democratic Party agreed to provide confidence and supply to a Liberal minority government. Third Front national governments were formed in 1989 and 1996 with outside support of one of the two major parties, BJP or Congress . The CPI-M gave outside support to
9216-541: Was reflected in the New Zealand Official Yearbook of that year. Seddon's immediate successor, William Hall-Jones , was the first to be sworn in as "prime minister", in 1906. The expanding power of the prime minister was kept in check by the need to build consensus with other leading members of the Cabinet and of the governing party, including those who represented various ideological wings of
#211788