Adolphe Eugène Jean Henri Max (30 December 1869 – 6 November 1939) was a Belgian liberal politician and mayor of the City of Brussels from 1909 until his death. He was also an irregular freemason, an honorary Minister of State and a member of the Institut de France.

Adolphe Eugène Jean Henri Max (30 December 1869 – 6 November 1939) was a Belgian liberal politician and mayor of the City of Brussels from 1909 until his death. He was also an irregular freemason, an honorary Minister of State and a member of the Institut de France.

Life

Max graduated in law at the Free University of Brussels, and entered the legal profession, besides doing journalistic work. When he was 25 years old, he was elected a province councillor for Brabant, and was elected a city councillor in 1903. After he had worked as a magistrate, he was appointed city mayor of Brussels on 6 December 1909.

Under the German occupation of Brussels during the First World War, Max refused to cooperate with the occupying forces. As a result, he was arrested and held in captivity, first at Namur, and then at Glatz (Poland) and Goslar (Germany), until he escaped on 13 November 1918. Charles Lemonnier was acting mayor during his captivity. On his return to Brussels, he was greeted as a hero. In 1919, he was elected to the Belgian Chamber of Representatives, where he campaigned for universal adult suffrage, a goal not achieved until after his death.

Proclamation poster from the German occupation administration in Brussels in September 1914 announcing Max's deposition from his role as burgomaster and his imprisonment

Legacy

Among the monuments from Max's time in office as mayor of Brussels are parts of the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium and the Heysel/Heizel exhibition park built for the Brussels International Exposition of 1935. The Boulevard Adolphe Max/Adolphe Maxlaan, a central boulevard of the City of Brussels, is named after him, as are primary and secondary schools near Square Ambiorix. There is also a Place Adolphe Max in the 9th arrondissement of Paris which was named in his honour in January 1940, shortly after his death.

Honours

1910: Knight Grand cross in the Order of the Crown of Prussia.[1]

1918: Grand Officer in the Order of Leopold.[2]

1932: Grand Cordon in the Order of Leopold.[3]

1938: Grand Cross of the Order of the White Lion

Member of the Royal Academies for Science and the Arts of Belgium.

See also

List of mayors of the City of Brussels

References

 Journal De Bruxelles 29-10-1910

 RD 17/12/1918

 RD 24.11.1932

Adolphe Max (1869 - 1939), politicus

Adolphe Max werd geboren op 30 december 1869. Hij werd in 1909 burgemeester van Brussel en bleef dit tot aan zijn dood op 6 november 1939. Door zijn patriottische houding bij de Duitse inval in 1914 werd hij aangehouden en gedeporteerd. Na zijn terugkeer uit gevangenschap werd hij tot volksvertegenwoordiger verkozen en voerde hij actie ten gunste van het algemeen en vrouwenstemrecht. Hij drukte ook zijn stempel op Brussel door zijn initiatieven op architecturaal en artistiek gebied : de bouw van het Paleis voor Schone Kunsten en in 1935 de Wereldtentoonstelling waarvoor de vijf nog steeds bestaande tentoonstellingspaleizen werden gebouwd.

Adolphe Max was eerst advocaat en daarna journalist. In 1909 werd hij benoemd tot burgemeester van Brussel. Bij de aankomst van de Duitse troepen in de hoofdstad in 1914 liet hij onmiddellijk een reeks maatregelen uitvaardigen om de rechten van de stad en haar bevolking te vrijwaren : instelling van een commissie voor militaire prestaties, oprichting van een comité voor hulp aan de vluchtelingen en de gezinnen van de frontsoldaten, omvorming van scholen tot verzorgingscentra, oprichting van een bijkomende politiemacht. Hij riep zijn medeburgers op niet in te gaan op onrechtmatige eisen van de bezetter en alle misbruiken aan te klagen. Door zijn fel verzet tegen het Duitse bestuur, zijn protest tegen de opeisingen en de oorlogsbijdragen, zijn formele weigering om zijn ambt onder vreemd gezag uit te oefenen, hielp hij het moreel van de bevolking hoog houden.

Na eerst te zijn gevangengezet in Namen, werd hij overgebracht naar het fort van Glatz in Silesië. Op 13 november 1918 ontsnapte hij uit de gevangenis van Goslar en bereikte Brussel twee dagen later. Tijdens zijn gevangenschap was zijn populariteit alleen maar toegenomen. Hij werd als een held ingehaald, ontvangen door de koning, benoemd tot minister van Staat en bevorderd tot Groot-Officier in de Leopoldsorde. Nadat hij 1919 verkozen werd tot volksvertegenwoordiger voor het arrondissement Brussel, ijverde hij voor de invoering van het algemeen stemrecht en het vrouwenstemrecht.

Als groot liefhebber van de plastische kunsten werd Adolphe Max in 1919 verkozen tot lid van het Institut de France en van de Koninklijke Academie van België. Hij was ook de initiatiefnemer voor de bouw van het Paleis voor Schone Kunsten in Brussel, voor de organisatie van de Wereldtentoonstelling op de Heizel in 1935 en de bouw van de Eeuwfeestwijk in Brussel. Adolphe Max heeft een diepe stempel gedrukt op de stad Brussel en het Belgische politieke leven in de eerste helft van de 20ste eeuw. Hij overleed in 1939, nog steeds in het ambt van burgemeester van Brussel.

Burgundian Netherlands (1384–1482)

1380: Geert Pipenpoy

1381: Geert Pipenpoy and Jacques Stovaert

1421: J. Swaeff, J. Cooman

1422: Walter Vanden Heetvelde, Petrus van Bolenbeke

1423: Guillaume de Kesterbeke, Jan van Muysen

1424: Jan van Coundeberg, called Rolibuc, Gielis Daneels,

1425: Willem van Herzele, J. de Schore, called de Briedere

1426: Wenceslas t'Serclaes, J. Rampaert

1427: Jean de Hertoghe, Michel de Mabeert

1428: H. Magnus, J. de Broeckhoven

1429: Willem van Kesterbeke, Daniel Poelbroot

1430: Simon van Ophem, J. de Schore, called de Briedere

1431: Walter, son of Gerard Pipenpoy, J. Roypens

1432: Wenceslas t'Serclaes, Félix de Hont

1433: J. Bernaige, H. de Beringen

1434: Jean de Frigidomonte

1435: Walter Vandernoot, J. Rampaert

1436: Walter Vanden Winckele, Arnout Wellems, said Van Almkercke

1437: Henri Taye, J. van Broeckhoven

1438: Everard t'Serarnts, Jean Ofhuys

1439: Jan de Mol, son of Jan, J. Bogaert

1440: Nicolaas Vanden Heetvelde, J. Rampaert

1441: Walter, son of Walter Vandernoot, Arnout Wellems, called Van Almkercke

1442: Jan de Frigidomonte, God. Taye

1443: J. t'Serclaes, J. de Schore

1444: Jan, son of Jan de Mol, Gerard Pipenpoy, died on 4 septembre; replaced by J. Vanden Driessche

1445: Nicolaas Vanden Heetvelde, H. Vander Straeten, called Meeus

1446: Wenceslas T'Serclaes, Martin Wegsken, called Snellaert

1447: Antoine Mennen, Arnoul Wellems, called Van Almkercke

1448: Walter Vandernoot, Nicolas Vanden Driele

1449: Jean Vandernoot, Guill. Utenberge

1450: Nicolas Vanden Heetvelde, H. Vander Straeten

1451: Amelric Was, J. Cambier

1452: Everard T'Serarnts, Joos Westveling

1453: J. de Mol, J. de Blare

1454: Jan, son of Walter Vandernoot, J. Eggerix

1455: Thierry de Mol, Josse de Pape

1456: Amelric Was, Guill. Rampaert

1457: Walter Vanden Winckele, J. Cambier

1458: Philippe Van Nieuwenhove, Albertin Frenier

1459: Siger Vanden Heetvelde, J. Eggerix

1460: J. de Mol, J. Giellaert

1461: Amelric Was,

1462: Walter Vanden Winckele, Gerelin de Moor, called in den Sleutel

1463: Walter Vandernoot, Joos Westveling

1464: Petrus Pipenpoy, Willem de Smeth

1465: Jan Schat, J. de Poelke

1466: Everard t'Serclaes, Jan Offhuys

1467: H. Heenkenshoot, Adam Vandersleehagen

1468: Amelric Was, H. de Mol, dit Cooman

1469: Walter Vandernoot (lord of Risoir), J. Vander Moelen

1470: Antoon Thonys, J. Cambier

1471: Conrad Vander Neeren, J. de Poelke

1472: J. de Mol, Jacob Vanden Poele, called Poelman

1473: H. Heenkenshoot, Adam de Bogaerden, called Jordaens

1474: Nicolas Vanden Heetvelde, J. Ofhuys

1475: Costin de Limelette, Gerelin de Moor, called in den Sleutel

1476: J. Schat, J. Eeckaert

1477: J. Vander Meeren, Arnoul Vanden Plassche

1478: H. Vander Meeren

1479: H. t'Serarnts, God. Wyngaert

1480: Roland de Mol, Thierry Ruttens

1481: Wenceslas t'Serclaes, Petrus de Jonge

Habsburg Netherlands (1482–1581)

1482–1483: J. Bernsige, J. Mosselman

1483–1484: J. van Buyssegem, J. de Poelke

1484–1485: H. Vander Meeren

1485–1496: Roland de Mol, René Van Thienen

1486–1487: Pierre Was, Engelbert Vander Moelen

1487–1488: H. de Mol, Jacques de Ruwe

1488: Adriaan van Assche

1488: Willem T'Serclaes

1488–1489: J. de Heemvliet, J. de Walsche

1489–1490: Willem T'Serclaes, J. de Poelke

1490–1491: Hector Vandernoot, René Van Thienen

1491–1492: Jan van Catthem, Joos Zegers

1492–1493: Adriaan van Droogenbroeck, Petrus Goessens

1493–1494: Helegast Vander Meeren, J. Van Zennen

1494–1495: Jan Vander Meeren

1495–1496: Guill. Van Bitterswyck, J. Moyensoene

1496–1497: J. Vanden Heetvelde, Simon Van Doerne

1497–1498: Amelric Was, Jacques de Ruwe

1498–1499: Gielis Van Aelst, Pierre Goessens

1499: Wenceslas T'Serclaes, J. de Walssche

1525: Jan Van Nieuwenhove

1546: Jan de Locquenghien

1556: Jean Pipenpoy

1574–1576: Jacob Taye, lord of Gooik

1576–1577: Antoon Quarré, Petrus Cuyerman

1577–1578: Karel van Brecht, Frans Jacobs

1578–1579: Leonard Vandenhecke, Willem de Smet

1579–1580: Jacob Taye, Simon de Sailly

1580–1581: Leonard Vandenhecke, Adriaan Van Conincxloo

Spanish and Austrian Netherlands (1581–1794)

1581–1585: Hendrik de Bloyere

1585–1586: Jacques Taye, J. Van Geersmeutere

1586–1588: Lancelot II Schets, 2nd Count of Grobbendonck, baron de Wesemale, J. Van Gersmeutere

1588–1590: Philippe de Rodoan, lord of Bergeghem

1590–1592: Hendrik van Dongelberghe, Gabriel Van Bemmel

1592–1594: Gielis de Busleyden, Willem de Vaddere

1594–1596: Henri de Dongelberghe, Arnold Addiers

1596–1598: François de Senft

1598–1599: Hendrik van Dongelberghe, Willem de Vaddere

1600–1601: Karel van Lathem, Gérard Mouton

1602: J. Duquesnoy, Lord van Steen

1603–1604: Hendrik van Dongelberghe, Arnold Addiers

1605: Karel van Lathem, Gérard Mouton

1606: Hendrik van Dongelberghe, Arnold Addiers

1607: Jacques Vandernoot, seigneur de Kiesekem, Gérard Mouton

1608–1609: Égide de Busleyden, Guillaume de Smet

1609: Charles de Lathem, Simon de Sailly

1610–1611: Hendrik van Dongelberghe, Arnold Addiers

1620: Englebert de Taye, baron of Wemmel.

1646: François de Dongelberghe

1688-1689: Henry Pipenpoy

1692: Henry Pipenpoy

1699: Charles-Léopold Fierlant

1700–1702: Roger-Wauthier van der Noot, 1st Baron of Carloo

1702–1707: Charles van den Berghen, comte de Limminghe

1707–1724: Jean Baptiste Aurelius Walhorn

French Republic (1794–1804)

1795–1800: Jean-Baptiste Verlooy

1800: Paul Arconati-Visconti, Marquess of Busto

1800–1803: Nicolas Rouppe

1803–1804: Henri Joseph Van Langenhoven

First French Empire (1804–1815)

1804-1805: Louis Devos

1805–1809: Charles de Mérode

1810–1814: Charles-Joseph, 4th Duke d'Ursel

1814-1815: Baron Joseph van der Linden d'Hooghvorst

Kingdom of the Netherlands (1815–1830)

1815–1817: Baron Louis de Wellens

1817-1820: Vicomte Hyacinthe van der Fosse

1820-1830: Baron Louis de Wellens

Kingdom of Belgium (1830–present)

No. Portrait Name

(Birth–Death) Term

(Election) Term of office Political Party

1 Nicolas-Jean Rouppe

(1769–1838) •

(Appointed by Monarch) 22 October 1830 3 August 1838

(Died in office) Independent

2 Guillaume-Hippolyte van Volxem

(1791–1868) •

(Appointed by Monarch) 13 September 1838 13 April 1841 Independent

3 François-Jean Wyns de Raucour

(1779–1857) •

(Appointed by Monarch) 14 April 1841 4 October 1848 Independent

4 Charles de Brouckère

(1796–1860) •

(Appointed by Monarch) 5 October 1848 20 April 1860

(Died in office) Liberal Party

5 André-Napoléon Fontainas

(1807–1863) •

(Appointed by Monarch) 21 April 1860 19 July 1863

(Died in office) Liberal Party

6 Jules Anspach

(1829–1879) •

(Appointed by Monarch) 15 October 1863 19 May 1879

(Died in office) Liberal Party

7 Felix Vanderstraeten

(1823–1884) •

(Appointed by Monarch) 20 May 1879 21 January 1881 Liberal Party

8 Charles Buls

(1837–1914) •

(Appointed by Monarch) 17 December 1881 16 December 1899 Liberal Party

9 Emile De Mot

(1835–1909) •

(Appointed by Monarch) 16 December 1899 6 December 1909 Liberal Party

10 Adolphe Max

(1869–1939) •

(Appointed by Monarch) 6 December 1909 6 November 1939

(Died in office) Liberal Party

11 Joseph Van De Meulebroeck

(1876–1958) •

(Appointed by Monarch) 28 November 1939 13 February 1956 Liberal Party

12 Lucien Cooremans

(1889–1985) •

(Appointed by Monarch) 14 February 1956 29 August 1975 Party for Freedom and Progress

13 Pierre Van Halteren

(1911–2009) •

(1976) 30 August 1975 4 March 1983 Party for Freedom and Progress

14 Hervé Brouhon

(1924–1993) •

(1982) 4 March 1983 10 April 1993

(Died in office) Socialist Party

15 Michel Demaret

(1940–2000) •

(Appointed by City Council) 20 July 1993 24 March 1994 Humanist Democratic Centre

16 Freddy Thielemans

(1944–2022) 1st

(1994) 28 April 1994 9 January 1995 Socialist Party

17 François-Xavier de Donnea

(born in 1941) •

(Appointed by City Council) 21 May 1995 18 October 2000 Reformist Movement

18 Freddy Thielemans

(1944–2022) 2nd

(2000) 16 January 2001 13 December 2013 Socialist Party

3rd

(2006)

19 Yvan Mayeur

(born in 1960) •

(2012) 13 December 2013 8 June 2017 Socialist Party

20 Philippe Close

(born in 1971) •

(2018) 9 June 2017 Incumbent Socialist Party

See also

Minister of state is a designation for a government minister, with varying meanings in different jurisdictions. In a number of European countries, the title is given as an honorific conferring a higher rank, often bestowed upon senior ministers. In the United Kingdom and several other Commonwealth countries, "minister of state" is a junior rank subordinate to ministers of higher rank. In Brazil and Japan, all ministers of cabinet rank hold the title, while in Australia "minister of state" is the designation applied to all government ministers regardless of rank.

High government ranks

In several national traditions, the title "Minister of State" is reserved for government members of cabinet rank, often a formal distinction within it, or even its chief.

Brazil: Minister of State (Portuguese: Ministro de Estado) is the title borne by all members of the Federal Cabinet.

Chile: Minister of State (Spanish: Ministro de Estado) is the title borne by all heads of the Ministries.

France: Under the Fifth Republic, Minister of State (Ministre d'État in French) is an honorific title bestowed upon nomination as a Minister. Ministres d'État, in the protocol, rank after the Prime Minister and before the other Ministers but enjoy no other specific prerogatives. Initially, the title of Ministres d'État didn't explicitly include a portfolio (a practice common under previous regimes), although in time both the title and a specific portfolio have since normally been conferred together. As under previous regimes, a series of Ministres d'État in the same cabinet may also reflect a balance between the different political trends in the ruling party (or within the ruling coalition). A Ministre d'État is not to be confused with a Secretary of State (Secrétaire d'État), a Junior minister assisting a Minister and who may only attend cabinet meeting if the topic discussed touches his responsibilities. Former Ministres d'État include former French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

Japan: Minister of State is the title borne by all members of the Japanese Cabinet.

Kenya: A Minister of State generically refers to a more senior minister by virtue of the revenue power, or security implications of their ministry. For instance, ministries housed under the Office of the President, Office of the Deputy President and Office of the Prime Minister are titled as "Ministries of State for". Actual examples include Ministry of State for Internal Security and Provincial Administration; Ministry of State for Immigration; and Ministry of State for Public Service.[citation needed]

Luxembourg: Minister of State (French: Ministre d'État; Luxembourgish and German: Staatsminister) is an additional title borne by the Prime Minister. Unlike the title 'Prime Minister' (French: Premier ministre; Luxembourgish: Premier; German: Premierminister), which was instituted only in 1989, that of Minister of State has been held by the head of government since 1848. As Minister of State, his role is to control and coordinate the activities of the other Ministers.

Monaco: The Minister of State of Monaco is the Principality's head of government, appointed by and subordinate to the Prince of Monaco and responsible for enforcing its laws.

Palau: The Minister of State of Palau is the minister responsible for foreign affairs and international trade.[1]

Portugal: Minister of State (Ministro de Estado) is a member of the Council of Ministers who holds a more distinct position within the cabinet, roughly equivalent to Deputy prime minister.

Spain: When Adolfo Suárez was Prime Minister, Ministers of State were created who held a more distinct position within the Government. However, this initiative did not last since his successors did not follow this path.[2]

Scandinavian states + Finland: The equivalent title statsminister is used for the head of government (i.e. the prime minister), and compound titles of which -minister is a part may be used for major-portfolio Ministers. For details on statsminister, see Prime Minister of Sweden, Prime Minister of Denmark, Prime Minister of Norway, and Prime Minister of Finland.

Turkey: A Minister of State (Turkish: Devlet Bakanı) was a post in Turkish cabinets between 1946 and 2011. It was possible to have more than one Minister of State in a single cabinet, responsible for different policy areas.

United Kingdom: Normally a mid-level government role (see next section) but Lord Beaverbrook was nominally Minister of State from 1 May 1941 to 29 June 1941 while a member of the war cabinet. It has become regular practice for senior Ministers of State to be invited to attend cabinet on a regular basis at the Prime Minister's discretion, though they are not technically full members. However, more recently, some Ministers of State have been made full members of the Cabinet, such as Jacob Rees-Mogg when he served as Minister of State for Government Efficiency.

Minor government ranks

In various nations, especially in former members of the British Empire, "Minister of State" is a junior ministerial rank, often subordinated to a cabinet member.

Canada: A Minister of State is senior to a Secretary of State but junior to a Minister of the Crown (ordinary portfolio minister).

See also: Ministers of State in Canada

Germany: Minister of State (Staatsminister in German) is the title given to a parliamentary state secretary (a member of parliament serving as a political aide to a cabinet minister) serving in the Foreign Office or the Chancellor's Office. Accordingly, Minister of State ranks between a State Secretary and a Federal Minister. It is also used as the title of cabinet ministers of certain German states. Historically, the same title was used (sometimes alternating with other styles), notably as head of government in certain of the many constituent monarchies of pre-reunion Germany, e.g. in Hesse-Darmstadt, Hesse-Kassel (or Hesse-Cassel), Lippe, Schaumburg-Lippe, in Hannover, Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Reuss-Schleiz-Gera and Principality of Reuss-Greiz, Kingdom of Saxony, Saxe-Altenburg, Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, Saxe-Meiningen, Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt and Schwarzburg-Sondershausen.

India: A Minister of State is a junior minister in the Council of Ministers in the Union Government who may assist a cabinet minister or have independent charge of a ministry. The Constitution of India restricts the number of ministers of state in the federal government. A Minister of State with independent charge is a minister without an overseeing Cabinet Minister in the State or Union Government of India. He himself is in charge of his ministry, unlike Minister of State who is also a Minister but assists a cabinet minister. Moreover, such ministers can take part in cabinet meetings on important issues unlike Ministers of state who does not take any part in any cabinet meetings.

Ireland: A Minister of State is junior to a Minister of a Department of State (portfolio minister) and of similar standing to a Parliamentary Secretary.

See also: Ministers of State in Ireland

Nigeria: A Minister of State is a junior Minister in the Nigerian Cabinet and is normally the principal deputy or one of the deputies to the Minister in a Federal Ministry. The Minister of State may in some cases be the head of a special department in the President's Office. By law, both senior Ministers and Ministers of State are regarded as Ministers of the Government of the Federation.

Pakistan: Like in other former British colonies, a Minister of State in Pakistan is a junior Minister in the national Government who may assist a cabinet minister or have independent charge of a ministry.[3]

Sri Lanka: A Minister of State (or State Minister) is a non-cabinet minister of the executive branch of the Government of Sri Lanka, as such is junior to a Cabinet Minister but senior to a Deputy Minister.

Singapore: Ministers of State and Senior Ministers of State are members of the executive branch of the Government of Singapore, senior in rank to Parliamentary Secretaries and Senior Parliamentary Secretaries, but junior to full Cabinet Ministers.

Turkmenistan: The chairperson of the government-owned national natural gas company, Turkmengas, holds the rank of Minister of State, and is included in the Cabinet of Ministers.

Political offices in the UK government

Arms of the British Government

Prime Minister

Deputy Prime Minister / First Secretary

Treasury ministers

Secretary of State

Minister of state

Parliamentary under-secretary of state

Parliamentary private secretary

Lord Chancellor

Leader of the House of Commons

Leader of the House of Lords

Whips

Law officers

Sinecures

List of political offices

vte

United Kingdom: A Minister of State is a member of His Majesty's Government, junior only to a Secretary of State but senior to a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State and Parliamentary Private Secretaries (PPSs). Ministers of State are responsible to their Secretaries of State. The role in this context has existed only since 1945 (see above for exception in the case of Beaverbrook) – previously, each parliamentary under-secretary was directly beneath a secretary of state. There can be more than one Minister of State at any government Department. Ministers of State may have departmental PPSs, or a PPS might be assigned to them. Of a similar standing to Ministers of State are positions such as the Solicitor General, the Deputy Leader of the House of Commons, Treasurer of the Household, Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard, Paymaster General, Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Economic Secretary to the Treasury. Ministers of State are bound by the Ministerial Code.

See also: Minister of State (United Kingdom)

Subnational office

In the republic of Burma, the title was used for the Chief ministers of the following autonomous states, from 1947/48 till the abolition of that autonomy in 1962: Arakan State (Rakhine), Chin State, Kayin State (Kayin), Kayah State (Karenni), Kachin State and Shan State

Other uses

Australia

Australia: Section 64 of the Commonwealth constitution empowers the Governor-General to appoint "the Queen's Ministers of State for the Commonwealth [of Australia]" as "officers to administer such departments of State of the Commonwealth as the Governor‑General in Council may establish". The Ministers of State Act 1952 defines the number of ministers only distinguishes between ministers and parliamentary secretaries (now known as assistant ministers). However, in practice ministers of state are divided into the Cabinet and the outer ministry.[4] The only ministerial portfolio to have the term "minister of state" in the title is Special Minister of State.

Netherlands and Belgium

Main articles: Minister of State (Netherlands) and Minister of State (Belgium)

In the Netherlands (Minister van Staat in Dutch) and Belgium (also Ministre d'État in French), Ministers of State is a title of honour awarded formally by the Monarch, but on the initiative of the government. It is given on a personal basis, for life rather than for a specified period. The title is granted for exceptional merits, generally to senior politicians at the end of their party career. Ministers of state are often former cabinet members or party leaders. Ministers of State advise the Sovereign in delicate situations, with moral authority but without formal competence.

In Belgium they are entitled to a seat, alongside the members of the government in power, in the Crown Council; to date the Crown Council has been convened on only five occasions, the first being in 1870 for the Franco-Prussian War, and the latest in 1960 in connection with the independence of the Belgian Congo. Apart from that, the only privileges of being a "minister of state" are precedence according to protocol on state occasions and a ministerial car registration number. De facto, appointments tend to respect the almost obsessional balances between the Flemish and French-speaking communities as well as between the 'ministeriable' political families: mainly Christian-democrats, Socialists, Liberals, also (moderate) Nationalists, occasionally an Ecologist). Other former careers include those of Étienne Davignon (European Commissioner) and Luc Coene (prime-ministerial Kabinetschef, roughly Chief of staff). In January 2006 the number of ministers of state reached 51 with Johan Vande Lanotte, shortly after he laid down his portfolio and title of Vice-Prime Minister to head the Flemish Socialist SP.A party. After formateur Yves Leterme returned his commission in August 2007, King Albert II consulted 13 Ministers of State individually, without convening the crown council as such.

In both countries, junior ministers are called State Secretary (staatssecretaris or secrétaire d'état), similarly to France. Some State Secretaries may, in specific circumstances, style themselves as Minister (not Minister of State) when visiting a foreign country.

New Zealand

To bestow a sinecure — the role has been given to senior figures who did not occupy positions of leadership, but who were held in high esteem or who were wanted in Cabinet. For example, a former Prime Minister might be appointed Minister of State as an "elder statesman" — this was the purpose for which New Zealand Prime Minister Rob Muldoon originally created the position in 1975.

To create a sort of junior minister — using this office, politicians can be appointed to associate roles without having a substantive ministerial role of their own. There is no formal rank of "assistant minister" or "deputy minister" in New Zealand, but if someone is a full minister, they can be assigned to an associate role helping a different full minister. Someone appointed Minister of State is technically a full minister and can thus be assigned associate roles, thereby creating a type of minister whose only effective authority is as an associate minister.

The first Minister of State in New Zealand was Keith Holyoake, a former Prime Minister. Other prominent people to have held the office include Jim Bolger and Robin Gray (a former Prime Minister and a former Speaker, respectively). Examples of people who held the office simply in order that they might be appointed as associate ministers include Mita Ririnui, Damien O'Connor, and Dover Samuels.

Ancien Régime France

In France during the Ancien Régime and Bourbon Restoration, the title "Ministre d'État" had a specific designation. The title first appeared under Louis XIII. The "ministres d'État", appointed by lettres patentes, attended meetings of the Conseil du Roi (which would later become the Conseil d'État). From 1661 on — at the start of Louis XIV's "personal reign" — the king called whomever he wished to his Council; invitations were only good for one session and needed to be renewed as long as the individual retained the king's confidence. However, having attended one session of the Council gave the person the right to be called "ministre d'État" for life, and also gave him the right to an annual life pension of roughly 20,000 livres. There were few "ministres d'État" at Council meetings (between three or four during the reign of Louis XIV); they also attended the "Conseil des Dépêches" (the "Council of Messages", concerning notices and administrative reports from the provinces).

Suppressed during the French Revolution, the title "ministre d'État" reappeared during the Bourbon Restoration as essentially an honorary title given (not systematically) to Ministers after their demission or their departure from office; refusal on behalf of the King to award this title to a demissioned Minister was seen as an affront.

British diplomacy

From 28 January 1944, the last two British Ministers Resident in the Middle East, concerned with former British protectorate Egypt, were styled Ministers of State in the Middle East.

See also

List of Jamaican ministers of state

Minister of State (Turkey)

State Minister (Georgia)

References

 "Ministry of State – PalauGov.pw".

 "Los Gobiernos de Suárez". El País (in Spanish). 1981-01-30. ISSN 1134-6582. Retrieved 2019-09-05.

 Pakistan Federal Cabinet Archived 2007-03-02 at the Wayback Machine

 "Ministers of State Act 1952". Federal Register of Legislation.