Cabinet of Norway

The Cabinet of Norway is a formal body composed of the most senior government ministers chosen by the Prime Minister, and functions as the collective decision-making organ constituting the executive branch of the Kingdom. It is referred to as the Council of State (Norwegian: Statsrådet), and simultaneously plays the role of privy council as well as government Cabinet. With the exception of the Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, who retain their ministerial ranking in their own right, all the other members of the Cabinet concurrently hold the position of statsråd, meaning Councillor of State, and that of Chief of the various departments, not formally being considered 'ministers', although commonly addressed as such. The Cabinet normally convenes every week, usually on Fridays at 11:00 a.m. at the Royal Palace, Oslo, and is presided over by the Monarch.

Constitutional basis

Under the 1814 Constitution of Norway, the third-oldest national Constitution still in operation (after the constiution of San Marino and US Constitution), the King is the head of the executive branch of Norway. However, historical developments such as the introduction of Parliamentarism in 1884 and evolving constitutional tradition have altered the King's role, meaning that the Prime Minister, holding the leadership of a political party enjoying electoral support, is the de facto head of government. Accordingly, when Article 3 of the Constitution reads, "The Executive Power is vested in the King", this nowadays reflects the powers conferred on the elected government, operating through the Council of State and headed by the Prime Minister.

Council of State

A Council of State is the name of a governmental body in a country, or a subdivision of a country, with a function that varies by jurisdiction. It may be the formal name for the cabinet, or it may refer to a non-executives advisory body associated with a head of state. In some countries it also has a function as a supreme administrative court. It is sometimes regarded as the equivalent of a privy council.

Modern

Council of State (Belgium)

Council of State (Dutch:  Raad van State , French: Conseil d'État, German: Staatsrat), in Belgium, is an organ of the Belgian government: it is the Supreme Administrative Court of Belgium. Its functions include assisting the executive with legal advice and being the supreme court for administrative justice. Its members are (for the most part) high level jurists.

History

After Belgium gained its independence from the Netherlands, the Belgian government was hesitant to create a Council of State, given the perceived abuse of the Dutch Council of State; thus, no Council of State was created in Belgium.

After World War II the need arose for a Supreme Administrative Court, and such an organ was created by the law of 23 December 1946 as a body that administers justice. It does not officially belong to the judiciary; rather, it falls under the competence of the minister of the interior.

Since then, the Belgian Constitution has been amended to include the existence of the Council of State. Article 160 of the Belgian Constitution provides that there is, for all of Belgium, one Council of State, the composition, competence and functioning of which are regulated by law. The organisation and functioning of the Council of State are presently provided for by the organic laws on the Council of State, coordinated by the Royal Decree of 12 January 1973.

Council of State (Cuba)

The Council of State (Spanish: Consejo de Estado) of Cuba is a 31-member body of the government of Cuba, elected by the National Assembly of People's Power. It has the authority to exercise most legislative power between sessions of the National Assembly of People’s Power, subject to its approval, and to call the National Assembly of People’s Power into session between its scheduled twice yearly sessions. The membership consists of a President, a Secretary, a First Vice President, five Vice Presidents, and 27 additional members. The President, the Secretary, the First Vice President, and the five Vice Presidents are also members of the Council of Ministers.

Members of the 8th Council of State (2013–2018)

See also