View source for Minister without portfolio

{{Short description|Government minister with no specific responsibilities or who does not head a ministry}}
{{Update|date=November 2024}} 
{{use dmy dates |date=April 2021}}
A '''minister without portfolio''' is a [[government minister]] without specific responsibility as head of a [[government department]]. The [[sinecure]] is particularly common in countries ruled by [[coalition]] governments and a cabinet with decision-making authority wherein ministers without portfolio, while they may not head any particular offices or ministries, may still receive a ministerial salary and have the right to cast a vote in [[Cabinet (government)|cabinet]] decisions. The office may also exist to be given to party leaders whose offices (such as a [[parliamentary leader]]) would not otherwise enable them to sit in Cabinet.

== Albania ==
{{main|Minister without portfolio (Albania)}}
In Albania, a ''"Minister without portfolio"'' is considered a member of the government who is generally not in charge of a special department, does not have headquarters or offices and usually does not have administration or staff. This post was first introduced in 1918 during the [[Turhan Pasha Përmeti|Përmeti II]] government, otherwise known as the [[Government of Durrës]]. The members of this cabinet were referred to as ''Delegatë pa portofol'' (delegate without portfolio). The name "minister" was used two years later, during the [[Delvina Government|government]] of [[Sulejman Delvina]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Dervishi |first1=Kastriot |title=Historia e Shtetit Shqiptar 1912–2005 |date=2006 |publisher=Shtëpia Botuese "55" |isbn=99943-799-3-3 |pages=955}}</ref> In the 1990s the usage of the name ''Sekretar Shteti'' (Secretary of State) was common to refer to such a position. Mostly these roles were given to smaller allies by the leading parties. Nowadays the name ''Ministër i Shtetit'' (State Minister or Minister of State) is used.

== Australia ==
[[James Hutchison (Australian politician)|James Hutchison]] was given the title in the [[First Fisher ministry]], and [[Willie Kelly (politician)|Willie Kelly]] was given the title in the [[Cook Ministry]] from June 1913 to September 1914.

[[Stanley Bruce]] was given the title of minister without portfolio when he took up his position in 1932 as the Commonwealth Minister in London. He was given the title by Lyons' Cabinet so that he could better represent the PM and his colleagues free from the limitations of a portfolio. In this case the title was a promotion and carried considerable responsibilities.<ref>{{cite web|title=Mr Bruce to be Minister without Portfolio|newspaper=Advocate |date=16 June 1932 |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/67931882|access-date=24 January 2017}}</ref>

== Bangladesh ==
Bangladesh appoints ministers without portfolio during cabinet reshuffles or fresh appointments. Ministers are not usually appointed without portfolio as a coalition negotiation – all long run ministers end up with a portfolio. [[Suranjit Sengupta]] was a minister without portfolio in Sheikh Hasina's second government.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bangladesh's PM Sheikh Hasina keeps Home, Foreign Affairs, Defence portfolios|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/world-news/bangladeshs-pm-sheikh-hasina-keeps-home-foreign-affairs-defence-portfolios/articleshow/28740727.cms|newspaper=The Economic Times|publisher=PTI|access-date=2 February 2016}}</ref> The most recent minister without portfolio is from the [[Yunus ministry|Interim government of Bangladesh]], [[Mahfuz Alam]] who is also an [[Adviser (Bangladesh)|adviser]] to the [[Chief Adviser of Bangladesh|chief adviser]]

==Bulgaria==
*[[Bozhidar Dimitrov]] (2009–2011)

== Brazil ==
The [[Constitution of Brazil|Constitution]] determines that the [[Cabinet of Brazil|Ministries]] (and also other bodies headed by a [[Minister of State]]) are provided for by law, so the [[Federal government of Brazil|Federal Government]] has less freedom to create and reformulate portfolios as it happens in other cabinets.

=== Extraordinary minister ===
During the [[Fourth Brazilian Republic|brief parliamentary experience]], the position of "''Extraordinary Minister''" was instituted to provide for political and administrative affairs<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lei Delegada nº1, de 25 de setembro de 1962 |url=https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/ldl/ldl01.htm |access-date=14 July 2023 |website=Secretaria Especial para Assuntos Jurídicos da Casa Civil da Presidência da República Federativa do Brasil}}</ref> within the [[Prime Minister of Brazil|Presidency of the Council of Ministers]], it was equivalent in prerogatives, advantages and salaries to a Minister of State. There were no nominations after the return to presidentialism, but a 1964 law created an "''Extraordinary Ministry''" to coordinate some related bodies that would be equivalent to a [[ministry of the interior]]. The reorganization of federal public administration in 1967<ref>{{Cite web |title=Decreto-Lei nº200, de 25 de fevereiro de 1967 |url=https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/Decreto-Lei/Del0200.htm |access-date=14 July 2023 |website=Secretaria Especial para Assuntos Jurídicos da Casa Civil da Presidência da República Federativa do Brasil}}</ref> provided for the appointment of up to four Extraordinary Ministers to perform temporary duties of a relevant nature.

Currently, the legislation requires that the Coordinator of the Government Transition Cabinet (the team of the candidate elected to the office of [[President of Brazil|President of the Republic]]) be appointed as an Extraordinary Minister if the nominee is a [[Federal Senate (Brazil)|Senator]] or a [[Chamber of Deputies (Brazil)|Federal Deputy]]. In 2018, then President [[Michel Temer]] issued a [[provisional measure]] creating an "''Extraordinary Ministry of Public Security''", it became a common [[Ministry of Public Security (Brazil)|ministry]] after [[National Congress of Brazil|National Congress]] converted the provisional measure into law.<ref>{{Cite news |date=11 July 2018 |title=Lei cria o Ministério Extraordinário da Segurança Pública |pages=1 |work=Agência Câmara de Notícias |url=https://www.camara.leg.br/noticias/542012-LEI-CRIA-O-MINISTERIO-EXTRAORDINARIO-DA-SEGURANCA-PUBLICA |access-date=14 July 2023}}</ref>

==Canada==
While the minister without portfolio is seen by some as a mere [[sinecure]] appointment, it has been a role that numerous political notables have played over time, including future Prime Minister [[Jean Chrétien]], who filled the role in a [[Lester Pearson|Pearson]] cabinet in the 1960s; [[John Turner]] also "kept a seat warm" in a Pearson cabinet. Notable Conservatives who filled the role include [[Richard Bedford Bennett|R. B. Bennett]], and [[Arthur Meighen]]; however, Meighen served this role after he had been prime minister.

The title of minister without portfolio has been used off and on; in recent times, though, the title has fallen out of favour, and the penultimate minister without portfolio, [[Gilles Lamontagne]], was promoted to [[Postmaster General of Canada|postmaster general]] in 1978. The practice has continued primarily under the guise of [[Minister of state (Canada)|ministers of state]] without responsibilities in the ministers' titles.

The position has also been filled on the federal or provincial level by experienced politicians near the end of their careers as a way of allowing them to counsel the government and take on projects without the burdens associated with administering a government department.

In January 2021, Prime Minister [[Justin Trudeau]] appointed [[Jim Carr]] as a minister without portfolio, in addition to his role as special representative to the Prairies. Carr had previously served as a cabinet minister until November 2019, leaving as a consequence of his diagnosis with [[multiple myeloma]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Curry |first1=Bill |last2=Walsh |first2=Marieke |title=Trudeau shuffles senior ministers, puts Champagne in Innovation and Garneau at Global Affairs |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-trudeau-shuffles-senior-ministers-puts-champagne-in-innovation-and/ |publisher=The Globe and Mail |date=January 12, 2021}}</ref>

==China==
{{main|State councillor}}
A '''state councillor''' ({{lang-zh|c=国务委员}}) is similar to ministers without portfolio. The 14th state councillors from 2023 are:

* [[Li Shangfu]] (former)
* [[Wang Xiaohong]]
* [[Wu Zhenglong]]
* [[Shen Yiqin]]
* [[Qin Gang]] (former)

==Croatia==
{{col-begin}}
{{col-break}}
*[[Dragutin Kalogjera]] (1990)
*[[Zvonimir Medvedović]] (1990)
*[[Gojko Šušak]] (1990–1991)
*[[Zdravko Mršić]] (1990–1991)
*[[Dražen Budiša]] (1991–1992)
*[[Ivan Cesar]] (1991–1992)
*[[Ivica Crnić]] (1992)
*[[Darko Čargonja]] (1992)
*[[Živko Juzbašić]] (1991–1992)
*[[Mladen Vedriš]] (1992)
*[[Vladimir Veselica]] (1991)
*[[Muhamed Zulić]] (1991–1992)
*[[Zvonimir Baletić]] (1991–1992)
*[[Slavko Degoricija]] (1991)
*[[Stjepan Zdunić]] (1991)
*[[Čedomir Pavlović]] (1992–1993)
*[[Smiljko Sokol]] (1992–1993)
*[[Zlatko Mateša]] (1993–1995) – Prime Minister (1995–2000)
*[[Juraj Njavro]] (1993–1997)
*[[Ivan Majdak]] (1993–1995)
*[[Marijan Petrović]] (1995)
*[[Adalbert Rebić]] (1995)
*[[Davor Štern]] (1995)
*[[Branko Močibob]] (1995–1997)
*[[Gordana Sobol]] (2002–2003)
*[[Bianca Matković]] (2009–2011)
*[[Goran Marić (politician)|Goran Marić]] (2016)
{{col-break}}

===Deputy Prime Ministers without portfolio===

*[[Bernardo Jurlina]] (1990–1991)
*[[Mate Babić]] (1990)
*[[Milan Ramljak]] (1990–1992)
*[[Franjo Gregurić]] (1990–1991) – Prime Minister (1991–1992)
*[[Mate Granić]] (1991–1993) – Minister of Foreign Affairs (1993–2000)
*[[Jurica Pavelić]] (1991–1992)
*[[Zdravko Tomac]] (1991–1992)
*[[Ivan Milas]] (1992–1993)
*[[Vladimir Šeks]] (1992–1994)
*[[Mladen Vedriš]] (1992–1993)
*[[Ivica Kostović]] (1993–1995)
*[[Bosiljko Mišetić]] (1995)
*[[Borislav Škegro]] (1993–1997)
*[[Ljerka Mintas Hodak]] (1995–1998)
*[[Željka Antunović]] (2000–2002)
*[[Slavko Linić]] (2000–2003)
*[[Goran Granić]] (2000–2002)
*[[Ante Simonić]] (2002–2003)
*[[Damir Polančec]] (2005–2008)
*[[Đurđa Adlešić]] (2008–2010)
*[[Slobodan Uzelac]] (2008–2011)
*[[Domagoj Ivan Milošević]] (2010–2011)
*[[Tomislav Karamarko]] (2016)
*[[Božo Petrov]] (2016) – Speaker of Parliament (2016–2017)
*[[Boris Milošević]] (2020–2022)
*[[Anja Šimpraga]] (2022–present)
{{col-end}}

==Denmark==
Three "control ministers" served as ministers without portfolio during [[World War I]].

After the [[Occupation of Denmark|Liberation of Denmark]] in May 1945, the first Danish [[cabinet of Vilhelm Buhl II|cabinet]] included four ministers without portfolio. Among these were Danish ambassador to the U.S. [[Henrik Kauffmann]], who had conducted his own foreign policy throughout the war and refused to follow orders from Copenhagen as long as Denmark remained occupied by a foreign power. Kauffmann served in this capacity from 12 May to 7 November 1945. The three other holders of this title had joined the cabinet a few days before – [[Aksel Larsen]] ([[Communist Party of Denmark]]), [[Kr. Juul Christensen]] ([[Danish Unity]]) and [[Frode Jakobsen]] ([[Social Democrats (Denmark)|Social Democrats]]).

[[Lise Østergaard]] held a position as minister without portfolio with special attention to foreign policy issues in [[Anker Jørgensen]]'s cabinet from 26 February 1977 to 28 February 1980.

[[Anders Fogh Rasmussen]] appointed [[Bertel Haarder]] as minister without portfolio, but effectively [[Minister for European Affairs (Denmark)|Minister for European Affairs]]. Haarder served in this capacity from 27 November 2001 to 18 February 2005. The reason for appointing a minister without a ministry was the Danish [[Presidency of the Council of the European Union|European Union Presidency]] of 2002. Haarder was considered the most experienced Danish politician on European affairs.

==Estonia==
*[[Jaan Tõnisson]] (1918) (provisional government)
*[[Karl Ast]] (1924–1925)
*[[Juhan Kaarlimäe]] (1944)
*[[Johannes Sikkar]] (1952–1953) ([[Estonian government-in-exile|in exile]])
*[[Artur Terras]] (1952–1953) (in exile)
*[[Aksel Mark]] (1956–1962) (in exile)
*[[Arvo Horm]] (1956–1964) (in exile)
*[[Peeter Panksep]] (1956–1964) (in exile)
*[[Eduard Leetmaa]] (1959–1962) (in exile; appointed, but did not enter office)
*[[Ivar Grünthal]] (1962–1964) (in exile)
*[[Renate Kaasik]] (1971–1990) (in exile)
*[[Verner Hans Puurand]] (1973–1977) (in exile)
*[[Jaan Timusk]] (1973–1990) (in exile)
*[[Ants Pallop]] (1973–1992) (in exile)
*[[Arvo Horm]] (1977–1992) (in exile)
*[[Ivar Paljak]] (1985–1990) (in exile)
*[[Olev Olesk]] (1986–1990) (in exile)
*[[Endel Lippmaa]] (1990–1991) (interim government)
*Artur Kuznetsov (1990–1991) (interim government)
*[[Klara Hallik]] (1992) (interim government)
*[[Arvo Niitenberg]] (1992) (interim government)
*[[Jüri Luik]] (1992–1993)
*[[Peeter Olesk (literary scientist)|Peeter Olesk]] (1993–1994)
*[[Eiki Nestor]] (1994–1995)
*[[Arvo Niitenberg]] (1994–1995)
*[[Ants Leemets]] (1995)
*[[Jaak Allik]] (1995–1996)
*[[Endel Lippmaa]] (1995–1996)
*[[Tiit Kubri]] (1995–1997)
*[[Riivo Sinijärv]] (1996)
*[[Andra Veidemann]] (1996–1999)
*[[Peep Aru]] (1997–1999)
*[[Katrin Saks]] (1999–2003)
*[[Toivo Asmer]] (1999–2003)
*[[Eldar Efendijev]] (2002–2003)
*[[Paul-Eerik Rummo]] (2003–2007)
*[[Jaan Õunapuu]] (2003–2007)
*[[Urve Palo]] (2007–2009)
*[[Urmas Kruuse]] (2014)
*[[Anne Sulling]] (2014)

== Finland ==
Minister without portfolio is not a common type of cabinet position, and the last minister without portfolio served in 1949. The most famous one was [[Juho Kusti Paasikivi]], who was a part of the "Triumvirate" of Prime Minister [[Risto Ryti]], Minister of Foreign Affairs [[Väinö Tanner]] and Paasikivi during the [[Winter War]] and the year 1940.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Etusivu|url=https://kansallisbiografia.fi/kansallisbiografia/henkilo/631|access-date=2021-10-05|website=kansallisbiografia.fi}}</ref>

* [[Mikko Luopajärvi]] ([[Centre Party (Finland)|Agrarian Union]]) 17.4.1919 – 15.8.1919 ([[Kaarlo Castrén Cabinet|Kaarlo Castren Cabinet]]), 15.8.1919 – 5.1.1920 ([[Vennola I Cabinet]])<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Ministerit nimikkeittäin|url=https://valtioneuvosto.fi/tietoa/historiaa/hallitukset-ja-ministerit/raportti/-/r/v9l/24|access-date=2021-10-05|website=Valtioneuvosto|language=fi-FI}}</ref>
* [[Kalle Aukusti Lohi]] ([[Centre Party (Finland)|Agrarian Union]]) 31.3.1925 – 31.12.1925 ([[Tulenheimo Cabinet]])<ref name=":0" />
* [[Matti Paasivuori]] ([[Social Democratic Party of Finland|Social Democratic Party]]) 13.12.1926 – 15.11.1927 ([[Tanner Cabinet]])<ref name=":0" />
* [[Kalle Jutila]] ([[Centre Party (Finland)|Agrarian Union]]) 17.12.1927 – 16.10.1928 ([[Sunila I Cabinet]])<ref name=":0" />
* [[Juhani Leppälä]] ([[Centre Party (Finland)|Agrarian Union]]) 16.8.1929 – 27.8.1929 ([[Kallio III Cabinet]])<ref name=":0" />
* [[Eljas Erkko]] ([[National Progressive Party (Finland)|Progressive Party]]) 20.10.1932 – 25.11.1932 ([[Sunila II Cabinet]])<ref name=":0" />
* [[Ernst von Born]] ([[Swedish People's Party of Finland|Swedish People's Party]]) 13.10.1939 – 1.12.1939 ([[Cajander III Cabinet]])<ref name=":0" />
* [[Juho Kusti Paasikivi]] (Unaffiliated/No party) 1.12.1939 – 27.3.1940 ([[Ryti I Cabinet]])<ref name=":0" />
* [[Mauno Pekkala]] ([[Social Democratic Party of Finland|Social Democratic Party]]) 17.11.1944 – 24.11.1944 ([[Paasikivi II Cabinet]])<ref name=":0" />
* [[Hertta Kuusinen]] ([[Finnish People's Democratic League|Finnish People's Democratic Party]]) 26.5.1948 – 4.6.1948 ([[Pekkala Cabinet]])<ref name=":0" />
* [[Aleksi Aaltonen]] ([[Social Democratic Party of Finland|Social Democratic Party]]) 29.7.1948 – 30.7.1948 ([[Fagerholm I Cabinet]])<ref name=":0" />
* [[Unto Varjonen]] ([[Social Democratic Party of Finland|Social Democratic Party]]) 29.7.1949 – 19.8.1949 ([[Fagerholm I Cabinet]])<ref name=":0" />

==Germany==
*[[Hermann Göring]] (1933)
*[[Ernst Röhm]] (1933)
*[[Rudolf Hess]] (1933–1941)
*[[Arthur Seyss-Inquart]] (1939–1945)
*[[Hjalmar Schacht]] (1939–1943)
*[[Martin Bormann]] (1941–1945)

Since 1949, a [[Federal Minister for Special Affairs of Germany|Federal Minister for Special Affairs]] (''Bundesminister für besondere Aufgaben'') is a member of the [[Cabinet of Germany|Federal Government]] that does not have charge of a Federal Ministry, although the ministry is now commonly assigned to the [[Heads of the German Chancellery]] to give this important government functionary [[cabinet (government)|cabinet-rank]]. The ministry was first created in October 1953 to give a ministry level position to [[Franz Josef Strauss]], but has been used almost exclusively for the Head of the Federal Chancellery since the 1960s. A notable exception occurred in the course of [[German reunification]] when four members of [[de Maizière cabinet|East Germany's last government]] were made "Minister for Special Affairs" from October 3, 1990, to January 1991.

== Greece ==
The position of a Minister without portfolio was first created in 1918, with [[Emmanouil Repoulis]] being the first Minister without portfolio. Previously, the term had been used to describe Prime Ministers who had not undertaken any secondary Ministerial position (e.g. [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Greece)|Ministry of Foreign Affairs]]). Prominent politicians like [[Georgios Papandreou]], [[Panagiotis Kanellopoulos]], [[Napoleon Zervas]] and [[Spyros Markezinis]] served as Ministers without portfolio during their career, while novelist [[Nikos Kazantzakis]] had a brief, 46-day-long tenure as Minister without portfolio in [[Themistoklis Sofoulis|Sofoulis']] 1945 cabinet.

In 1991, the position was renamed to [[Minister of State (Greece)|Minister of State]]; the last person to be designated Minister without portfolio and simultaneously the first Minister of State, is [[Mikis Theodorakis]].

==Hungary==
*[[Zsolt Semjén]] (2010–present)
*[[Tamás Fellegi]] (2011–2012)

==India==
* [[C. Rajagopalachari]], [[N. Gopalaswami Ayyangar]] and [[V.K. Krishna Menon]] – [[First Nehru ministry|1st Nehru government]]<ref name="rediff">{{cite news |title=Just what is a minister without portfolio? |url=https://www.rediff.com/news/2005/nov/08spec1.htm |access-date=13 July 2018 |work=www.rediff.com}}</ref>
* [[T.T. Krishnamachari]] and [[Lal Bahadur Shastri]] – [[Second Nehru ministry|2nd Nehru Government]]   
* [[Mamata Banerjee]] and [[Murasoli Maran]] – [[Third Vajpayee ministry|3rd Vajpayee government]]<ref>{{cite news |title=Vajpayee reinducts Mamat√a Banerjee as cabinet minister without portfolio |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/glass-house/story/20030922-vajpayee-reinducts-mamata-banerjee-as-cabinet-minister-792033-2003-09-22 |access-date=13 July 2018 |work=India Today |language=en}}</ref>
* [[K. Chandrasekhar Rao]] and [[Natwar Singh]] – [[First Manmohan Singh ministry|1st Manmohan Singh government]]<ref name="rediff"/>

==Indonesia==
Since the inception of the state, Indonesia had ministers without portfolio, usually given the title ''Menteri Negara'' ('State Minister'). The number was not fixed, entirely depended on the behest of the President. Although not explicitly forbidden, Law No. 39/2008 on State Ministries mandated that a ministry must have specific function and responsibilities and also must have minimum number of directorates and other ministerial apparatuses, thus formation of minister without portfolio is currently unlikely in post-Reformation Indonesia.

Below is the list of ministers without portfolio that ever existed in Indonesian history.

===Presidential Cabinet (19 August – 14 November 1945)===
* Mohammad Amir
* Sartono 
* [[Alexander Andries Maramis]]
* [[Oto Iskandar di Nata]]

===First Sjahrir Cabinet (11 November 1945 – 28 February 1946)===
* Rasjidi (on religious affairs)

===Third Sjahrir Cabinet (5 October 1946 – 27 July 1947)===
* [[Hamengkubuwono IX]]
* [[Wahid Hasyim]]
* [[Wikana]] (on youth affairs)
* Soedarsono 
* [[Tan Po Goan]] (on Chinese affairs) 
* [[Ernest Douwes Dekker|Danoedirdja Setiaboedi]]

===Sixth Development Cabinet (6 June – 1 October 1997) ===
The cabinet was unique, with President [[Suharto]] moved the Minister of Information [[Harmoko]] to the office of State Minister of Special Affairs ({{langx|id|Menteri Negara Urusan Khusus}}) on 6 June 1997. The Ministry of Special Affairs was dissolved on 1 October 1997, following the inauguration of next-term's [[People's Consultative Assembly|parliament]] and the appointment of Harmoko as its speaker.

==Ireland==
The [[Ministers and Secretaries Acts|Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1939]] allows a Minister to be a member of the [[Government of Ireland]] who does not have charge of a [[Department of state (Ireland)|Department of State]], such a person to be known as a "Minister without portfolio".<ref>{{cite Irish legislation|year=1939|number=36|section=4|name=[[Ministers and Secretaries Acts|Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1939]]|stitle=Minister without portfolio|access-date=18 July 2020|date=21 December 1939}}</ref> Such a minister may be given a specific style or title. The only substantive minister without portfolio has been [[Frank Aiken]], the [[Minister for the Co-ordination of Defensive Measures]] during [[World War II]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Chubb |first=Basil |title=Government & Politics of Ireland |publisher=[[Stanford University Press]] |year=1982 |edition=2nd |page=170 |isbn=0-8047-1115-1}}</ref> By the [[Emergency Powers Act 1939]] then in force, the [[Minister for Defence (Ireland)|Minister for Defence]] was able to delegate some competences to him.<ref>{{cite Irish legislation|year=1939|number=28|section=6|name=Emergency Powers Act 1939 |stitle=Delegation of statutory powers and duties|date=3 September 1939|access-date=18 July 2020}}</ref><ref name="si-1943-326">{{cite Irish legislation|year=1943|type=sro|number=326|name=Air-Raid Precautions (Approval of Expenditure by Essential Undertakers) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 1944 |date=30 September 1943|access-date=18 July 2020}}</ref>

On a number of occasions a minister has been appointed to an incoming government with the title of a new [[Department of State (Ireland)|Department of State]]. Between the date of appointment and the date of creation of the department, such a minister is formally a minister without portfolio.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1977-11-10/5/|title=Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 1977: Fifth Stage|date=10 November 1977|work=Dáil debates|publisher=Oireachtas|access-date=8 May 2012|quote=The Minister for Economic Planning and Development is a member of the Government not having charge of a Department of State, who is therefore, under section 4 (2) of the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1939 a Minister without portfolio. His title is not derived from the title of a Department of which he is head, because it does not exist, but it is a title that has been assigned to him by the Government pursuant to section 4 (3) of the 1939 Act.}}</ref>
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Title !! Govt !! Minister !! Appt to govt !! Dept created !! Dept 
|-
| [[Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport|Minister for Economic Planning and Development]] || [[15th Government of Ireland|15th]] || [[Martin O'Donoghue]] || 8 July 1977<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1977-07-05/11/|title=Appointment of Taoiseach and Nomination of Members of Government – Dáil Éireann (21st Dáil) – Tuesday, 5 July 1977|access-date=1 February 2020|website=Houses of the Oireachtas}}</ref>|| {{nowrap|13 December 1977<ref>{{cite Irish legislation|year=1977|number=27|section=2|name=[[Ministers and Secretaries Acts|Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1977]]|date=6 December 1977|access-date=8 May 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite Irish legislation|year=1977|type=si|number=377|name=Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1977 (Appointed Day) Order 1977|access-date=3 August 2020|date=9 December 1977}}</ref>}} || [[Department of Culture, Communications and Sport|Department of Economic Planning and Development]]
|-
| [[Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation|Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform]] || [[29th Government of Ireland|29th]] || [[Brendan Howlin]] || 9 March 2011<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/2011-03-15/4/|title=Appointment of Ministers and Ministers of State – Dáil Éireann (31st Dáil) – Tuesday, 15 March 2011|access-date=16 March 2020|website=Houses of the Oireachtas}}</ref>
 || 6 July 2011<ref>{{cite Irish legislation|year=2011|number=10|section=7|name=[[Ministers and Secretaries Acts|Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 2011]]|date=4 July 2011|access-date=2 August 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite Irish legislation|year=2011|type=si|number=401|name=Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 2011 (Appointed Day) Order 2011|access-date=8 May 2012}}</ref> || [[Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation|Department of Public Expenditure and Reform]]
|-
| [[Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht|Minister for Rural and Community Development]] || [[31st Government of Ireland|31st]] || [[Michael Ring]] || {{nowrap|14 June 2017<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/2017-06-20/3/|title=Appointment of Members of Government and Ministers of State – Dáil Éireann (32nd Dáil) – Tuesday, 20 June 2017|access-date=14 January 2020|website=Houses of the Oireachtas}}</ref>}} || 19 July 2017<ref>{{Cite Irish legislation|year=2017|number=18|section=1|name=[[Ministers and Secretaries Acts|Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 2017]]|stitle=Department of Rural and Community Development|date=19 July 2017|access-date=4 August 2020}}</ref> || [[Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht|Department of Rural and Community Development]]
|-
| [[Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science]] || {{nowrap|[[32nd Government of Ireland|32nd]]}} || [[Simon Harris]] || {{nowrap|27 June 2020<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/2020-07-07/3/|title=Appointment of Ministers and Ministers of State |date=7 July 2020|access-date=7 July 2020|website=Houses of the Oireachtas}}</ref>}} || 2 August 2020<ref>{{cite ISB|year=2020|num=10|title=[[Ministers and Secretaries Acts|Ministers and Secretaries and Ministerial, Parliamentary, Judicial and Court Offices (Amendment) Act 2020]]|date=2 August 2020|access-date=21 August 2020}}</ref>|| [[Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science]]
|}

When [[Helen McEntee]] took six months' [[maternity leave]] on 28 April 2021, her portfolio as [[Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration|Minister for Justice]] was reassigned to [[Heather Humphreys]], in addition to Humphreys's existing portfolio as [[Minister for Social Protection]] and [[Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht|Minister for Rural and Community Development]]. McEntee remained a member of [[32nd Government of Ireland|the coalition government]] as minister without portfolio,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/2021-04-28/5/|title=Ministerial Responsibilities – Dáil Éireann (33rd Dáil) – Wednesday, 28 Apr 2021|access-date=29 April 2021|website=Oireachtas}}</ref> and was reassigned to the Department of Justice on 1 November 2021.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2021/1101/1257127-helen-mcentee/|title=Minister for Justice Helen McEntee returns from maternity leave|publisher=[[RTÉ News and Current Affairs]]|first=Sandra|last=Hurley|date=1 November 2021|accessdate=1 November 2021}}</ref> On 25 November 2022, Heather Humphreys was again appointed as Minister for Justice to facilitate a second period of six months' maternity leave from December.<ref>{{cite web |title=Assignment of the Department of Justice to Minister Humphreys |url=https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/153f7-assignment-of-the-department-of-justice-to-minister-humphreys/ |website=Government of Ireland |publisher=[[Department of the Taoiseach]] |access-date=2 December 2022 |date=26 November 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2022/1126/1338458-humphreys-justice/|title=Humphreys begins Minister for Justice cover as McEntree takes maternity leave|publisher=[[RTÉ News]]|date=26 November 2022|access-date=2 December 2022}}</ref>

==Israel==
It is common practice in Israel to appoint ministers without portfolio as part of the coalition negotiations, as it allows small coalition partners a seat at the cabinet table. All cabinets in recent years have had at least some such appointment. The Governance Law passed in 2013 forbade ministers without portfolio effectively ending the practice, however in spite of some objections, after the 2015 elections this issue was revisited in the Knesset and it was allowed for the practice to resume. The full alphabetical list of ministers without portfolio since 1949 is:

{{col-begin}}
{{col-break}}
*[[Mansour Abbas]] (2021–2022)
*[[Ofir Akunis]] (2015)
*[[Yosef Almogi]] (1961–62)
*[[Shulamit Aloni]] (1974, 1993)
*[[Yehuda Amital]] (1995–96)
*[[Shaul Amor]] (1999)
*[[Zalman Aran]] (1954–55)
*[[Moshe Arens]] (1984–86, 1987–88)
*[[Eli Avidar]] (2021–2022)
*[[Ruhama Avraham]] (2007–08)
*[[Ami Ayalon]] (2007–08)
*[[Yisrael Barzilai]] (1969–70)
*[[Benny Begin]] (2009–13, 2015)
*[[Menachem Begin]] (1967–70)
*[[Mordechai Ben-Porat]] (1982–84)
*[[Yosef Burg]] (1984)
*[[Eitan Cabel]] (2006–07)
*[[Ra'anan Cohen]] (2001–02)
*[[Yitzhak Cohen]] (2006–08)
*[[Aryeh Deri]] (1993)
*[[Aryeh Dolchin]] (1969–70)
*[[Sarah Doron]] (1983–84)
{{col-break}}
*[[Abba Eban]] (1959–60)
*[[Rafael Edri]] (1988–90)
*[[Yaakov Edri]] (2006–07)
*[[Effi Eitam]] (2002)
*[[Gadi Eizenkot]] (2023–2024)
*[[Yisrael Galili]] (1966–67, 1969–77)
*[[Benny Gantz]] (2023–2024)
*[[Akiva Govrin]] (1963–64)
*[[Mordechai Gur]] (1988–90)
*[[Gideon Hausner]] (1974–77)
*[[Tzachi Hanegbi]] (2016, 2020)
*[[Yigal Hurvitz]] (1984–88)
*[[Haim Landau]] (1978–79)
*[[Pinhas Lavon]] (1952–54)
*[[David Levy (Israeli politician)|David Levy]] (2002)
*[[Yitzhak Levy]] (2002)
*[[Tzipi Livni]] (2001–02)
*[[David Magen]] (1990)
*[[Raleb Majadele]] (2007)
*[[Dan Meridor]] (2001–03)
*[[Yitzhak Moda'i]] (1981–82, 1986–88)
*[[Shaul Mofaz]] (2012)
{{col-break}}
*[[Peretz Naftali]] (1951–52, 1955–59)
*[[Meshulam Nahari]] (2006–13)
*[[Dan Naveh]] (2001–03)
*[[Moshe Nissim]] (1978–80, 1988–90)
*[[Ehud Olmert]] (1988–90)
*[[Yossi Peled]] (2009)
*[[Shimon Peres]] (1969)
*[[Yitzhak Peretz (politician born 1938)|Yitzhak Peretz]] (1984, 1987–88)
*[[Haim Ramon]] (2005)
*[[Gideon Sa'ar]] (2023–2024)
*[[Pinchas Sapir]] (1968–69)
*[[Yosef Sapir]] (1967–69)
*[[Avner Shaki]] (1988–90)
*[[Yosef Shapira]] (1984–88)
*[[Ariel Sharon]] (1983–84)
*[[Yifat Shasha-Biton]] (2023–2024)
*[[Victor Shem-Tov]] (1969–70)
*[[Salah Tarif]] (2001–02)
*[[Hili Tropper]] (2023–2024)
*[[Ezer Weizman]] (1984–88)
*[[Dov Yosef]] (1952–53)
*[[Rehavam Ze'evi]] (1991–92)
{{col-end}}

==Italy==
{{Main|Minister without portfolio (Italy)}}

==Japan==
In Japan, {{nihongo|minister without portfolio|無任所大臣|Muninnsyo-Daijinn}} is not defined by law. The {{nihongo|Cabinet Act of Japan|内閣法|Naikakuhou}} does not forbid ministers who do not serve any ministries, establishing the existence of minister without portfolio.<ref name="houseikyoku">{{cite web |title=国務大臣の話 |url=https://houseikyoku.sangiin.go.jp/column/column088.htm |website=参議院法制局 |access-date=19 December 2024 |quote=また、行政事務を分担管理しない国務大臣の存在を妨げるものではないとされています（同法第3条第2項）。「無任所大臣」という用語が使われることがありますが、これは、広義では、この行政事務を分担管理しない国務大臣のことを指します（狭義では、いずれの行政機関にも属しない国務大臣のことを指します。）。}}</ref>

There are two meanings of minister without portfolio in Japan: The broader sense is a minister who is neither [[Prime Minister of Japan]] or ministers of [[Cabinet of Japan]], while the narrower sense is further from the broader sense - which specifically refers to ministers without ministries and certain titles such as [[Chair of the National Public Safety Commission]], [[Chief Cabinet Secretary]], or [[Minister of State for Special Missions]] ([[:ja:内閣府特命担当大臣|ja]]). In Japan, a minister without portfolio usually refers to the narrower sense.<ref name="houseikyoku" /><ref>{{cite web |title=内閣制度の概要 |url=https://www.kantei.go.jp/jp/seido/seido_2_1.html |website=首相官邸ホームページ |publisher=内閣官房内閣広報室 |access-date=19 December 2024 |quote=「無任所大臣」という用語は、法令上のものではなく、広義では、国務大臣のうち「主任の大臣」以外の国務大臣、つまり内閣総理大臣及び各省大臣以外の国務大臣を指し、狭義では、これから更に国家公安委員長など特定の行政機関の長や内閣官房長官を除き、いずれの行政機関にも属さない国務大臣をいう。}}</ref>

There has not been minister without portfolio since [[Takashi Sasagawa]] of the [[Second Mori Cabinet (First Reshuffle)|Mori Cabinet]] in 2001. Most ministers without serving ministries in a cabinet will be Ministers of State for Special Missions in practice.<ref>{{cite web |title=大臣・副大臣・大臣政務官 |url=https://www.cao.go.jp/minister |website=内閣府 }}</ref>

==Kenya==
In [[Kenya]], ministers without portfolio are not common. However three individuals have held the position in the country's history. They are:
*[[Chunilal Madan]] (1956–1957) He was the first Kenyan minister with Asian descent and also country's first minister without portfolio. He was appointed to oversee Kenya's Colonial government operations prior to being appointed as a judge in the country's [[Supreme court]] in 1957.
*[[Raphael Tuju]] (2018–2022). He was appointed by [[Uhuru Kenyatta]] to oversee government operations in his second term of presidency.
*[[Cleophas Wakhungu Malala]] (2023-to 2024). He was appointed as the secretary general of the ruling party UDA to oversee the operations of the ruling party and push the hustler agenda for the next five years. Malala was however unceremoniously fired by UDA for sympathizing with former deputy president, Rigathi Gachagua.

== Malta ==
* [[Carmelo Abela]] (2020–2022)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2020-01-15/local-news/Official-New-Cabinet-appointed-huge-overhaul-as-only-five-ministers-keep-places-6736218442|title=Official: New Cabinet appointed – huge overhaul as only five ministers keep places – The Malta Independent|website=www.independent.com.mt|access-date=2020-02-15}}</ref>
* [[Joe Mizzi]] (1996–1998)
* [[Konrad Mizzi]] (2016–2017) On April 28, 2016, following the appearance of his name in the [[Panama Papers]] leaks, Prime Minister [[Joseph Muscat]] announced in a press conference at the [[Auberge de Castille]] that Konrad Mizzi was to be removed from the position of Health and Energy Minister. Mizzi would however retain the title of minister without portfolio, working within the Office of the Prime Minister.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2016-04-28/local-news/Konrad-Mizzi-removed-from-energy-health-portfolio-to-remain-minister-under-PM-6736157042|title=Updated (3): Konrad Mizzi, Keith Schembri to remain at Castille; Mallia returns to Cabinet – The Malta Independent|website=www.independent.com.mt|access-date=2017-04-27}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://parlament.mt/mizzi-konrad |title=Parlament Ta' Malta |website=parlament.mt |access-date=2017-04-27 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170326052431/https://parlament.mt/mizzi-konrad |archive-date=2017-03-26 }}</ref>

==Nepal==
{{expand section|date=December 2022}}
[[Ram Sharan Mahat]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://setopati.net/politics/497/Congress-leader-Mahat-to-join-cabinet/ |title=Congress leader Mahat to join cabinet |publisher=Setopati.net |date=2014-02-11 |access-date=2016-07-27}}</ref>

==Netherlands==
{{Unreferenced section|date=March 2015}}
{{main|Minister without Portfolio (Netherlands)}}
A minister without portfolio in the Netherlands is a minister that does not head a specific [[ministry (government department)|ministry]], but assumes the same power and responsibilities as a minister that does. The minister is responsible for a specific part of another minister's policy field. In that sense, a minister without portfolio is comparable to a ''[[State Secretary (Netherlands)|staatssecretaris]]'' (state secretary or junior minister) in Dutch politics, who also falls under another ministry and is responsible for a specific part of that minister's policy field. However, one distinct difference is that a minister without portfolio is a member of the [[Council of Ministers of the Netherlands|council of ministers]] and can vote in it, whereas a state secretary is not. The minister for development cooperation has always been a minister without portfolio.

In the [[second Balkenende cabinet]] there were three ministers without portfolio: [[Agnes van Ardenne-van der Hoeven|Agnes van Ardenne]] (Development Cooperation), [[Rita Verdonk]] (Integration and Immigration) and [[Alexander Pechtold]] (Government Reform and Kingdom Relations).

In the [[fourth Balkenende cabinet]] there were three ministers without portfolio: [[Eberhard van der Laan]] (Housing, Neighbourhoods and Integration), [[Bert Koenders]] (Development Cooperation) and [[André Rouvoet]], Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Youth and Family.

The [[second Rutte cabinet]] had two ministers without portfolio: [[Stef Blok]] (Housing and the Central Government Sector) and [[Lilianne Ploumen]] (Development Cooperation).

The [[third Rutte cabinet]] had four ministers without portfolio: [[Sigrid Kaag]] (Development Cooperation), [[Sander Dekker]] (Legal Protection), [[Martin van Rijn]] (Medical Care), and [[Arie Slob]] (Primary and Secondary Education and Media).

The [[fourth Rutte cabinet]] has eight ministers without portfolio: [[Carola Schouten]] (Poverty, Participation and Pensions), [[Liesje Schreinemacher]] (Development Cooperation), [[Rob Jetten]] (Climate and Energy), [[Conny Helder]] (Long-Term healthcare and Sport), [[Christianne van der Wal]] (Nature and Nitrogen reduction), [[Franc Weerwind]] (Legal Protection), [[Hugo de Jonge]] (Housing and Urban Development), and [[Dennis Wiersma]] (Primary and Secondary Education and Media).

==New Zealand==
In the [[First Labour Government of New Zealand|First Labour Government]] from 1935 [[Mark Fagan]] was a "minister without portfolio" from 1935 to 1939, as was [[David Wilson (New Zealand Labour Party politician)|David Wilson]] from 1939 to 1949. They were appointed to the [[New Zealand Legislative Council|upper house]] and made a "minister without portfolio" to add them to the cabinet although neither were elected to a seat in Parliament.

In the [[Third National Government of New Zealand|Third National Government]], [[Keith Holyoake]] was made a Minister of State 1975–77 after he had retired as party leader, and in the [[Fourth National Government of New Zealand|Fourth National Government]] [[Robin Gray (New Zealand politician)|Robin Gray]] was made a Minister of State 1993–96 after he was replaced as Speaker (though he was also Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs). Both appointments were considered sinecures to avoid their return as '[[backbencher]]s'.

The following were appointed to the Executive Council as ministers without portfolio.<ref>{{cite book |last= Wilson |first= James Oakley |title= New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 |edition= 4th |orig-year=First published in 1913 |year= 1985 |publisher=V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer |location= Wellington |oclc= 154283103}}</ref>

;Key
{{legend inline|{{party color|New Zealand Liberal Party}}|[[New Zealand Liberal Party|Liberal]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
{{legend inline|{{party color|Reform Party (New Zealand)}}|[[Reform Party (New Zealand)|Reform]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
{{legend inline|{{party color|United Party (New Zealand)}}|[[United Party (New Zealand)|United]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
{{legend inline|{{party color|New Zealand Labour Party}}|[[New Zealand Labour Party|Labour]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
{{legend inline|{{party color|New Zealand National Party}}|[[New Zealand National Party|National]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
<br>†: Died in office
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="2" | Name
! Portrait
! colspan="2" | Term of office
! colspan="2" | Prime Minister
|-
! height=50 style="border-bottom:solid 0 grey; background:{{party color|New Zealand Liberal Party}}"|
| rowspan=2|[[James Carroll (New Zealand politician)|James Carroll]]
| rowspan=2|[[File:JamesCarroll1914.jpg|75px]]
| rowspan=2|16 March 1892
| rowspan=2|20 February 1896
| style="background:{{party color|New Zealand Liberal Party}};"|
| [[John Ballance|Ballance]]
|-
! height=15 style="border-top:solid 0 grey; background:{{party color|New Zealand Liberal Party}}"|
| style="border-bottom:solid 0 grey; background:{{party color|New Zealand Liberal Party}};"|
| rowspan=4|[[Richard Seddon|Seddon]]
|-
! style="background:{{party color|New Zealand Liberal Party}};"|
| [[Alfred Cadman]]
| [[File:Alfred Jerome Cadman (Cropped).jpg|75px]]
| 21 December 1899
| 9 May 1901
| rowspan=3 style="border-top:solid 0 grey; background:{{party color|New Zealand Liberal Party}};"|
|-
! style="background:{{party color|New Zealand Liberal Party}}"|
| [[William Montgomery (New Zealand politician)|William Montgomery]]
| [[File:William Montgomery 01.jpg|75px]]
| 19 July 1893
| 7 November 1895
|-
! height=15 style="border-bottom:solid 0 grey; background:{{party color|New Zealand Liberal Party}}"|
| rowspan=2|[[Mahuta Tāwhiao]]
| rowspan=2|[[File:Mahuta Tawhiao Potatau Te Wherowhero (15015383640).jpg|75px]]
| rowspan=2|22 May 1903
| rowspan=2|6 August 1906
|-
! height=15 style="border-top:solid 0 grey; background:{{party color|New Zealand Liberal Party}}"|
| style="background:{{party color|New Zealand Liberal Party}};"|
| [[William Hall-Jones|Hall-Jones]]
|-
! style="background:{{party color|New Zealand Liberal Party}}"|
| [[Āpirana Ngata]]
| [[File:ApiranaNgata05.jpg|75px]]
| 7 January 1909
| 28 March 1912
| style="background:{{party color|New Zealand Liberal Party}}"|
| [[Joseph Ward|Ward]]
|-
! style="background:{{party color|New Zealand Liberal Party}}"|
| [[Te Rangi Hīroa|Peter Buck]]
| [[File:RangiHiroa1904.jpg|75px]]
| 28 March 1912
| 10 July 1912
| rowspan=2 style="background:{{party color|New Zealand Liberal Party}}"|
| rowspan=2|[[Thomas Mackenzie|Mackenzie]]
|-
! style="background:{{party color|New Zealand Liberal Party}}"|
| [[Thomas Buxton (New Zealand politician)|Thomas Buxton]]
| [[File:Thomas Buxton.jpg|75px]]
| 28 March 1912
| 10 July 1912
|-
! style="background:{{party color|Reform Party (New Zealand)}}"|
| [[Māui Pōmare]]
| [[File:Maui Pomare.jpg|75px]]
| 10 July 1912
| 3 May 1916
| rowspan=2 style="border-bottom:solid 0 grey; background:{{party color|Reform Party (New Zealand)}}"|
| rowspan=3|[[William Massey|Massey]]
|-
! style="background:{{party color|Reform Party (New Zealand)}}"|
| [[William Fraser (New Zealand politician, born 1840)|William Fraser]]
| [[File:William Fraser MP.jpg|75px]]
| 27 July 1920
| 16 July 1923†
|-
! rowspan=3 style="background:{{party color|Reform Party (New Zealand)}}"|
| rowspan=3|[[David Guthrie (New Zealand politician)|David Guthrie]]
| rowspan=3|[[File:David Guthrie.jpg|75px]] 
| rowspan=3| 25 June 1924
| rowspan=3| 31 March 1927†
| height=35 style="border-top:solid 0 grey; background:{{party color|Reform Party (New Zealand)}}"|
|-
| height=15 style="background:{{party color|Reform Party (New Zealand)}}"|
| [[Francis Bell (New Zealand politician)|Bell]]
|-
| height=15 style="border-bottom:solid 0 grey; background:{{party color|Reform Party (New Zealand)}}"|
| rowspan=3|[[Gordon Coates|Coates]]
|- 
! style="background:{{party color|Reform Party (New Zealand)}}"|
| [[Heaton Rhodes]]
| [[File:Robert Heaton Rhodes Jr (1915).jpg|75px]]
| 18 January 1926
| 10 December 1928
| rowspan=2 style="border-top:solid 0 grey; background:{{party color|Reform Party (New Zealand)}}"|
|-
! style="background:{{party color|Reform Party (New Zealand)}}"|
| [[Francis Bell (New Zealand politician)|Francis Bell]]
| [[File:Sir Francis Henry Dillon Bell, ca 1924.jpg|75px]]
| 24 May 1926
| 25 August 1928
|-
! style="background:{{party color|United Party (New Zealand)}}"|
| Sir [[Joseph Ward]]
| [[File:Joseph Ward c. 1906.jpg|75px]]
| 28 May 1930
| 8 July 1930†
| rowspan=2 style="background:{{party color|United Party (New Zealand)}}"|
| rowspan=2|[[George Forbes (New Zealand politician)|Forbes]]
|-
! style="background:{{party color|United Party (New Zealand)}}"|
| [[Robert Masters (New Zealand politician)|Robert Masters]]
| [[File:Robert Masters, 1922.jpg|75px]]
| 20 August 1930
| 22 September 1931
|-
! style="background:{{party color|New Zealand Labour Party}}"|
| [[Mark Fagan]]
| [[File:Mark Fagan.jpg|75px]]
| 6 December 1935
| 18 July 1939
| rowspan=2 style="background:{{party color|New Zealand Labour Party}}"|
| rowspan=2 | [[Michael Joseph Savage|Savage]]
|-
! height=50 style="border-bottom:solid 0 grey; background:{{party color|New Zealand Labour Party}}"|
| rowspan=2 | [[David Wilson (New Zealand Labour Party politician)|David Wilson]]
| rowspan=2 | [[File:David Wilson MLC.jpg|75px]]
| rowspan=2 | 18 November 1939
| rowspan=2 | 30 May 1940
|-
! height=50 style="border-top:solid 0 grey; background:{{party color|New Zealand Labour Party}}"|
| rowspan=5 style="background:{{party color|New Zealand Labour Party}}"|
| rowspan=5 | [[Peter Fraser|Fraser]]
|-
! style="background:{{party color|New Zealand Labour Party}}"|
| [[Paraire Karaka Paikea]]
| [[File:Paraire Karaka Paikea.jpg|75px]]
| 21 January 1941
| 6 May 1943†
|-
! style="background:{{party color|New Zealand Labour Party}}"|
| [[Eruera Tirikatene]]
| [[File:Eruera Tirikatene.jpg|75px]]
| 26 May 1943
| 13 December 1949
|-
! style="background:{{party color|New Zealand National Party}}"|
| [[Adam Hamilton]]
| [[File:Adam Hamilton (1926).jpg|75px]]
| 16 July 1940
| 5 October 1942
|-
! style="background:{{party color|New Zealand National Party}}"|
| [[Gordon Coates]]
| [[File:Joseph Gordon Coates, 1931.jpg|75px]]
| 16 July 1940
| 5 October 1942
|-
! style="background:{{party color|New Zealand National Party}}"|
| [[William Polson]]
| [[File:William John Polson.jpg|75px]]
| 15 March 1950
| 12 December 1950
| style="background:{{party color|New Zealand National Party}}"|
| [[Sidney Holland|Holland]]
|-
! style="background:{{party color|New Zealand National Party}}"|
| [[Sidney Holland]]
| [[File:Sidney George Holland (1953) 2.png|75px]]
| 20 September 1957
| 12 December 1957
| rowspan=2 style="background:{{party color|New Zealand National Party}}"|
| rowspan=2 | [[Keith Holyoake|Holyoake]]
|-
! style="background:{{party color|New Zealand National Party}}"|
| [[David Seath]]
| [[File:David Seath.jpg|75px]]
| 24 January 1962
| 20 December 1963
|-
! style="background:{{party color|New Zealand Labour Party}}"|
| [[Hugh Watt]]
| [[File:Hugh Watt, 1951 (1).jpg|75px]]
| 13 March 1975
| 12 December 1975
| style="background:{{party color|New Zealand Labour Party}}"|
| [[Bill Rowling|Rowling]]
|-
|}

==North Macedonia==
As of 2017, ministers without portfolio (министер без ресор) are:
* [[Ramiz Merko]]
* [[Edmond Ademi]]
* [[Robert Popovski]]
* [[Zoran Sapurik]]
* [[Zorica Apostolovska]]
* [[Adnan Kahil]]
* [[Samka Ibraimovski]]

==Norway==
From 2009 to 2013 Karl Eirik Schjøtt-Pedersen (Labour) was a Minister without Portfolio and Chief of Staff in the Prime Ministers Office, where his job was to co-ordinate within government.

==Philippines==
During the [[Second Philippine Republic|Japanese Occupation of the Philippines]], then-Senate President [[Manuel Roxas]] was appointed minister without portfolio by the Japanese Government.{{Citation needed|date=December 2011}}

== Poland ==
In Poland, the term is used for a minister who is a member of the [[Council of Ministers (Poland)|Council of Ministers]] but does not head a government department and is not supported by a ministry. A minister without portfolio performs tasks determined by the [[Prime Minister of Poland|prime minister]]. Since the enactment of the [[Constitution of Poland|1997 Constitution]], this option has been provided for in Article 149(1).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Konstytucja Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej |url=https://www.sejm.gov.pl/prawo/konst/polski/kon1.htm |access-date=2023-12-30 |website=www.sejm.gov.pl}}</ref>

==Portugal==
Following the [[Carnation Revolution]], several politicians were made ministers without portfolio:
* [[Álvaro Cunhal]] (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th provisional government)
* [[Ernesto Melo Antunes]] (2nd, 3rd provisional government)
* [[Francisco Pereira de Moura]] (1st, 4th provisional government)
* [[Francisco Sá Carneiro]] (1st provisional government)
* [[Joaquim Magalhães Mota]] (2nd, 3rd, 4th provisional government)
* [[Jorge Campinos (politician)|Jorge Campinos]] (1st constitutional government)
* [[Mário Soares]] (4th provisional government)
* [[Vítor Alves (soldier)|Vítor Alves]] (2nd, 3rd provisional government)

After the [[I Constitutional Government of Portugal|1st Constitutional Government]] (1976–1978), there haven't been any appointments of ministers without portfolio.

A similar but not sinecural cabinet position, that of [[:pt:Lista de ministros adjuntos de Portugal|Minister Adjunct]] (''ministro adjunto''), who does not head a particular ministry but is instead tasked with the general interministerial measures found in the government programme, has been created in some Portuguese governments.

==Serbia==
{{main|Minister without portfolio (Serbia)}}
Minister without portfolio is a minister in the [[Government of Serbia|Government]] of [[Serbia]] with no particular ministry but who has some specific responsibilities.<ref name="sluzbeniglasnik">{{cite web|title=ZAKON O VLADI|url=http://www.paragraf.rs/propisi/zakon_o_vladi.html|website=paragraf.rs|publisher=Službeni glasnik Republike Srbije|accessdate=6 December 2017|language=Serbian}}</ref> The office is usually held simultaneously by several people at the same time (usually three to five, depending of the cabinet).

== Singapore ==
In Singapore, the appointment holder is known as a 'Minister in the [[Prime Minister's Office (Singapore)|Prime Minister's Office]]'.

== Spain ==
In Spain, in addition to the Ministers in charge of a [[Spanish government departments|Department]], there may be Ministers without a portfolio, who will be responsible for certain government functions. In the event that there are Ministers without a portfolio, the scope of their powers, the administrative structure, as well as the material and personal resources attached to it will be determined by [[Royal Decree#Spain|Royal Decree]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Ley 50/1997, de 27 de noviembre, del Gobierno|url=https://www.boe.es/eli/es/l/1997/11/27/50/con|website=Boletín Oficial del Estado|date=28 November 1997|pages=35082–35088 |language=es}}</ref>

==Sweden==
* [[Dag Hammarskjöld]] (1951–1953).
* [[Olof Palme]] (1963–1965).<ref>{{cite web|title=Olof Palme|url=https://www.government.se/articles/2016/02/olof-palme/|website=Government Offices of Sweden|date=27 February 2016|quote=he was a minister without portfolio from 1963 to 1965}}</ref>

==Taiwan==
Article 5 of the Organizational Act of the Executive Yuan ({{lang-zh|t=行政院組織法}}) allows the [[Executive Yuan]] of the [[Republic of China]] to appoint seven to nine Ministers without Portfolio ({{lang-zh|t=政務委員}}). According to the article, they can also serve ministers of [[Executive Yuan#Agencies|councils or commissions]] in the Executive Yuan. {{as of|2024}}, they are:<ref>{{cite web|url=https://english.ey.gov.tw/Page/AD8E18A7B9608059 |title=Executive Yuan Officials |date=December 2011 |publisher=Executive Yuan |access-date=2024-12-19}}</ref>
* [[Chen Shih-chung]]
* [[Liu Chin-ching]], also serving as [[National Development Council (Taiwan)|Minister of National Development]]
* [[Wu Cheng-wen (engineer)|Wu Cheng-wen]], also serving as [[National Science and Technology Council (Taiwan)|Minister of Science and Technology]]
* [[Chen Chin-de]], also serving as [[Public Construction Commission|Minister of Public Construction]]
* [[Yang Jen-ni]]
* [[Chi Lien-cheng]]
* [[Shih Che]]
* [[Lin Ming-hsin]]

==Tanzania==
President [[Jakaya Kikwete]] appointed Professor [[Mark Mwandosya]] as a minister without portfolio in 2012.

==Uganda==
Since 2015, the cabinet list has included a minister without portfolio:
* [[Abraham Byandala]] – 2015 until 2016
* [[Abdul Nadduli]] – 2016 to 2019
* [[Kirunda Kivejinja]] – 2019 to 2021
* [[Lukia Isanga Nakadama]] – 2021 to present

==United Kingdom==

{{Main|Minister without portfolio (United Kingdom)}}

==United States==
The Vice President of the United States is a member of the [[Cabinet of the United States|Cabinet]] but heads no department. As such, the Vice President may be assigned to policy areas of the President's choosing such as foreign diplomacy ([[Richard Nixon]]), space programs ([[Lyndon B. Johnson]]) or public health ([[Mike Pence]]). Prior to the mid-19th century, the Vice President's position as [[President of the United States Senate|President of the Senate]] caused the office to be seen as primarily legislative in nature, and as such they were not assigned to deal with public policy.

[[Cabinet of the United States#Cabinet-level officials|Cabinet-level officials]] are president-designated additional members of the Cabinet, which can vary under each president. Most of them head no department, and some of them are not [[officers of the United States]]. For example, the [[Office of Management and Budget|Director of the Office of Management and Budget]] is the head of the [[Office of Management and Budget]], which is an office within a department, namely the [[Executive Office of the President of the United States]] headed by the [[White House Chief of Staff]]. Similar situations apply (or applied) for the [[Council of Economic Advisers|Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers]], the [[Office of the United States Trade Representative|Trade Representative]], [[Office of Science and Technology Policy|Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy]], [[National Security Advisor (United States)|National Security Advisor]], [[Office of National Drug Control Policy|Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy]].

An individual who has great influence on government affairs without holding formal office might be described as a "minister without portfolio". Such an appellation is completely unofficial (possibly intended jokingly or disparagingly) and merely serves to underscore the extent of the individual's already-existing influence; it does not grant any new influence or power. Examples include [[Bernard Baruch]],<ref name="bauman19840627">{{cite news | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=GWkaAAAAIBAJ&pg=3811%2C4768376 | title=Mysterious Baruch | work=Milwaukee Journal | date=1984-06-27 | access-date=31 March 2012 | author=Bauman, Michael | page=18}}</ref> [[Arthur Burns]],<ref name="time19690207">{{cite magazine | url=https://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,838910,00.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071111095323/https://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,838910,00.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=11 November 2007 | title=The Administration: Minister Without Portfolio | magazine=Time | date=1969-02-07 | access-date=31 March 2012}}</ref> and [[Ivanka Trump]].<ref name="mahnken20200706">{{Cite web |last=Mahnken |first=Kevin |date=2020-07-06 |title=The Veepstakes Is Taking Over, But the Education World Wants to Know: Who Will Replace DeVos? |url=https://www.the74million.org/article/the-veepstakes-is-taking-over-but-the-education-world-wants-to-know-who-will-replace-devos/ |access-date=2020-07-09 |website=The 74 |language=en-US}}</ref>

[[Herbert Hoover]], the [[Secretary of Commerce of the United States|Secretary of Commerce]] under presidents [[Warren G. Harding|Harding]] and [[Calvin Coolidge|Coolidge]], took the position on the understanding that he would have input on all matters pertaining to the economy. He used this concession so eagerly that Treasury official [[Seymour Parker Gilbert|S. Parker Gilbert]] dubbed him "Under-Secretary of all other departments."<ref>{{cite book|last=Wilson|first=Joan Hof|title=Herbert Hoover: Forgotten Progressive|year=1975}}</ref>

== Vietnam ==
In the first [[Provisional government|government]] of the [[North Vietnam|Democratic Republic of Vietnam]] founded by [[Ho Chi Minh|Hồ Chí Minh]] after the [[August Revolution]] in September 1945, [[Huy Cận|Cù Huy Cận]] and [[:vi:Nguyễn Văn Xuân (học giả)|Nguyễn Văn Xuân]] were assigned the "Minister without Portfolio" positions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Chính phủ lâm thời ra mắt quốc dân đồng bào ngày 2/9/1945 |url=https://chinhphu.vn/thanh-vien-chinh-phu-qua-cac-thoi-ky-68352?governId=605 |access-date=2022-05-06 |website=chinhphu.vn}}</ref> In January 1946, the "[[:vi:Chính phủ Liên hiệp Lâm thời Việt Nam Dân chủ Cộng hòa|Provisional Coalition Government]]" was installed, and Nguyen Van Xuan retained the post of Minister without Portfolio while Cu Huy Can was elevated to the Ministry of Agriculture.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Chính phủ Liên hiệp Lâm thời (thành lập ngày 1/1/1946) |url=https://chinhphu.vn/thanh-vien-chinh-phu-qua-cac-thoi-ky-68352?governId=606 |access-date=2022-05-06 |website=chinhphu.vn}}</ref> From November 1946 to early 1955, the [[Viet Minh]] (and later the [[Communist Party of Vietnam|Worker's Party]])-led "New Government" fought against the [[French Indochina|return of France to Indochina]] and the post Ministers without Portfolio was held by Nguyễn Văn Tố, Đặng Văn Hướng and Bồ Xuân Luật.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Chỉnh phủ mới (từ ngày 3/11/1946 đến đầu năm 1955) |url=https://chinhphu.vn/thanh-vien-chinh-phu-qua-cac-thoi-ky-68352?governId=608 |access-date=2022-05-06 |website=chinhphu.vn}}</ref> Since the [[1954 Geneva Conference|1954 Geneva Convention]], the position has been vacant, except briefly during the 1960–1964 cabinet elected by the [[National Assembly (Vietnam)|2nd National Assembly]], where Lê Văn Hiến occupied the post "Minister without Portfolio and Deputy Chair of the [[Ministry of Planning and Investment (Vietnam)|State Planning Commission]]."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Chính phủ Nhiệm kỳ Quốc hội Khóa II (1960–1964) |url=https://chinhphu.vn/thanh-vien-chinh-phu-qua-cac-thoi-ky-68352?governId=610 |access-date=2022-05-06 |website=chinhphu.vn}}</ref>

In 2014, Prime Minister [[Nguyễn Tấn Dũng]] tasked the Cabinet Office to examine the possibility of re-introducing the post "Minister without Portfolio."<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2014-04-26 |title=Nghiên cứu chế định 'bộ trưởng không bộ' |url=https://tuoitre.vn/news-604701.htm |access-date=2022-05-06 |website=Tuoi Tre |language=vi}}</ref> There have been no further developments since.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20050305200307/https://www.parl.gc.ca/information/about/people/key/MinisterWithoutPortfolio.asp?lang=E List of Canadian Ministers Without Portfolio and Ministers of State] (Parliament of Canada Website)
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20050210031441/https://www.gio.gov.tw/info/chief/mwp.htm Taiwanese Ministers Without Portfolio]

{{Types of government minister}}
{{Cabinet Office}}

[[Category:Ministers without portfolio| ]]
[[Category:Ministerial offices|Portfolio, Minister without]]