A minister is an official of the Executive Branch.
A minister is the person chosen to head a ministerial department that is part of the administration of a State . The minister, therefore, is one of the officials who make up the government cabinet.
For example: "The Minister of Economy announced an inflation of 0.9% for the second quarter" , "Strong disagreement between the Minister of Security and the victim's relatives" , "The Minister of Labor confirmed that the government works in a new plan for the unemployed» .
It should be noted that ministers are generally under the orbit of the prime minister , who is the chief official of the Executive Branch in certain States or who reports to the president. In some nations, ministers have a higher hierarchy than secretaries while, in others, they are similar positions.
Different positions as minister
A minister can also be a representative or diplomatic agent , or the position of the subject who is sent by another to manage some matter. The heads of diplomatic delegations were usually known as ministers until the beginning of the 20th century ( "The minister for Spain was received by the local authorities to seek a solution to the conflict" ).
To govern a territory, the political leader requires various employees who are responsible for solving the problems of each sector. These state employees are the ministers , whose place of work is the ministry . Depending on the area in which they work, they receive a certain name. Some of them are:
- Minister of Education : He is responsible for planning the educational system and promoting education in the territory, carrying out various acts that collaborate with the intellectual progress of citizens. In addition, it will make decisions regarding the administration of public educational institutions and will supervise private institutes. In most countries, this position also includes the administration of the science, technology and research sector.
- Minister of Economy : in some countries he is known as "of Treasury" or "of Finance", his task is quite significant for the normal development of business and economic activities in the region. It will make decisions that have to do with fiscal economy and will interact with the rest of the ministries to corroborate that they properly distribute the subsidies that the State has allocated for each one. This position enables him to make decisions regarding fiscal policy and the distribution of income and public money .
- Minister of the Interior : is responsible for resolving all issues related to the internal policies of the State, maintaining public order and ensuring tranquility and peace in society. It will also serve as a link between the country's various organizations and the head of government.
In religion, a minister is a prelate.
The term in religion
In the field of religion , on the other hand, the prelates of some Christian churches who reach a certain status or title are considered ministers. For the Catholic Church , ministers are responsible for administering the sacraments properly and officially. The position is not linked to a title of the ordained clergy, but depends on the sacrament and the conditions.
In most Protestant churches , however, the minister is a member of the ordained clergy. He is usually the leader of the congregation and is also known as a preacher or pastor , depending on tradition.