Total ministry

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In the 19th century and until the Weimar Republic, the term for the government was the general ministry in some German states . The name, which emerged in the time of liberalism, is related to the idea of ​​the collective responsibility of the government in the constitutional monarchy towards the prince and parliament.

The governments in Saxony , Bavaria and Hesse , in the Kingdom of Hanover and, until 1867, in the Austrian Empire were called total ministries . The head of government was the chairman of the entire ministry. After the republican constitutions came into force in 1919/20, he was called State President in Hesse , and Prime Minister in Bavaria and Saxony .

In Saxony, the chairmanship of the overall ministry was held by the king, who as a rule also performed this function. Nevertheless - despite the lack of a relevant constitutional provision - a minister was always entrusted with the chairmanship. Formally, he did not have the position of Prime Minister, but was often (not always!) The leading head of the cabinet.

Until 1918, the chairman of the entire ministry also headed one of the specialist departments ( ministries ).

Germany (examples)

1. Saxon Constitution of 1831

In the constitution of the Kingdom of Saxony it says in § 41:

“(1) There are the ministerial departments of justice, finance, home affairs, war, cult and foreign affairs, whose boards are responsible to the estates.

(2) These boards form the entire ministry, as the highest collegial state authority. "

2. Hessian constitution from 1919

Art. 37. of the constitution of the People's State of Hesse states:

“The government is in the hands of the entire ministry. Its chairman is the Prime Minister with the official title of State President. ... He appoints the members of the entire ministry and his deputy from among them; the appointment requires confirmation by the state parliament. ... The number of members of the entire ministry is determined by the state parliament. "

Austria

After the Austro-Hungarian reconciliation of 1867, the total ministry was the official name of the kk ministries in their entirety (see kk ministry for the kingdoms and states represented in the Imperial Council ), i.e. the government of Cisleithania . The Council of Ministers for Common Affairs of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy , on the other hand, was called the Common Ministry . The chairman of the entire ministry was the Imperial and Royal Prime Minister appointed by the Kaiser at his own discretion. The members of the entire ministry were appointed by the Kaiser on the proposal of the Prime Minister. The last imperial government was the Lammasch Ministry , whose function, like that of the emperor, ended on November 11, 1918.