Secretary of State

The Secretary of State is

Secretaries are the interface between the political bodies and the non- political civil service as department heads in ministries, administrations Senate, state offices and similar institutions.

Secretaries in Germany

German Empire

The executive branch of the German Empire was founded in 1871 and until 1918 no fully trained Imperial Government, but a - particular in view of the government of each state - formally downgraded " national leadership ". Alone, their boss, the Chancellor, had until 1918 Empire ministerial rank and the associated competence to self-responsible governance. This came only gradually to the heads of disentangling the organization from the chancellorship Reich offices - they were by the Chancellor accordance with their instructions and performed - to illustrate its subordinate role - the title " Secretary of State ". The heads of departments of the imperial offices were called " Under Secretaries of State ."

In this way it was in the German Empire 1871-1918, for example, no foreign minister, but - at about the same task - only a " Foreign Secretary ". The highest Reich authorities were therefore also not as Reich ministries, but as ( Empire ) offices, such as the Naval Office. To date, this term has received at the Foreign Office.

This use of " secretary " title for ministers similar government functions is reminiscent of the similar practice in the U.S., which still persists today. Also, there are no ministries, but the Department, therefore " government departments ".

On the state level, the first officials of the ministries and Senate offices often lead - especially in city-states - the title of the State Council.

Weimar Republic

In the Weimar Republic, German Reich executive in 1919 was upgraded to full-fledged " national government ". Thereafter, the department heads had until the fall of the German Reich in 1945 ministerial rank and right (→ Reich Minister ). The title " Secretary of State " was used since 1919 to designate the Minister assigned the highest ranking officials of ministries.

Federal Republic of Germany

In the Federal Republic of Germany was founded in 1949 there is the concept of State with two different meanings and statuses:

Officers (political ) state secretaries

The Secretary of State civil servants is - according to the Weimar tradition since 1919 - the permanent representative of the Minister and how this unrestricted authority over the employees of his department.

Since 1 January 2008, the Director at the German Bundestag is a Secretary of State, before the current official mail name was also his official title. The Director of the German Parliament is not representative of the President of the German Bundestag; these are just the elected vice president.

In some state ministries, there is not the designation of State. Here the permanent representative of the Minister is then usually a Secretary. There are also federal countries (for example, Hamburg and Bremen), in which the first officer of a ministry (Senate Office ) use the title of a State Council. In Bavaria and Baden- Württemberg is the representative of the Minister of State in political affairs and the Ministerial representative of the Minister in administrative matters.

The Secretary of State civil servants subject to the provisions of laws and officials is usually established official. His term of office is so far independent of the office of his superior minister. However, since civil servants secretaries are political appointees, they can be set at any time without notice for any reason on hiatus ( eg § 54 of the Federal Civil Service Act in the Federal sector). This is considered necessary because of the political officials must stand in constant compliance with the goals of the federal government. Thus, the top political official are sent mainly at government and ministerial changes in early retirement. In the early retirement policy officials for three months initially continue to receive full pay, then they receive an increased pension of 71.75 per cent of pensionable remuneration. In the years 2003-2007 45 top officials at the federal level were put into temporary retirement. The officers were aged 40 to 64 years old. 17 of these 45 set into temporary retirement officials belong to grade B11 with a basic monthly salary of 10,000 euros and then 25 for Grade B 9 with a basic monthly salary of 8,500 euros. In October 2006, should be at the federal level, a total of 71 top officials have been in active status; they should, according to the Association of Taxpayers who receive pension payments of 3.4 million euros in 2006.

The political state secretaries are usually not members of the Cabinet, but there are usually a consultant. In Baden- Württemberg the Secretaries of State are members of the government, but have only voting rights in the government if the state legislature has conferred on them. In Bavaria, however, the political state secretaries are members of the government.

The basic salary for grade B 11 for civil servants in federal ministries Secretaries amounts since January 1, 2013 to € 12,360 per month.

Parliamentary Secretaries

Parliamentary Secretaries of State (abbreviation: PST ) are not civil servants, but merely an "office ". In the Federal Republic of Germany introduced by Federal Law of 6 April 1967, there they at least since 1969 in all federal ministries. In some ministries, such as the Foreign Office or the Federal Ministry of Finance, there are even two Parliamentary Secretaries since 1972. The Law on the Legal Status of Parliamentary Secretaries of July 24, 1974, determined that Parliamentary Secretary of State must be a member of the German Bundestag ( except since 1999 ( " Lex Naumann " ) at the Federal ) and a member of the federal government, so the Minister, the he added, is to assist in the performance of his government duties. He is the state in a public official capacity, which is largely aligned with the Minister. He receives emoluments shall be entitled to supply and may any other salaried office, commercial, or other professional exercise, but rather possibly keep his seat in parliament.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Federal Minister for observations to the Bundestag, the Bundesrat and represented in meetings of the Federal Government. He may at any time be dismissed or demand his dismissal. His office is always dependent on the Minister: separating the Minister from office, the Parliamentary Secretary of State shall automatically be made ​​with - except the new minister confirmed him in office.

Linguistically, we distinguish between two types of Secretaries of State as follows:

• Tenured secretaries of state: State Secretary, Federal Ministry / the Federal Ministry
• Parliamentary Secretaries: State Secretary to the Federal Minister

At the proposal of the Federal Chancellor in consultation with the competent Federal Minister of the Federal President may give a parliamentary Secretary of State for the duration of his official relationship or for performance of a specific task the right to use the title Minister of State. In terms of international practice, which the Foreign use has been made at the Federal and the Federal Minister. In the other federal ministers, they are called " Parliamentary Secretaries ".

In Baden- Württemberg Parliamentary Secretaries are not members of the government, as opposed to civil servants Secretaries of State. However, the Council of Ministers ( government of Baden -Württemberg) can confer parliamentary secretaries seat and voice in the government.

The original idea that talented member of parliament could profiling as Parliamentary Secretaries for a future ministerial office, is not fulfilled in practice mostly. The Office is heavily been criticized because it was often misused to pacify party members who have come short in the occupation of ministerial posts. Often they are taking only insignificant tasks. So Ludger Volmer complained during the visa affair that he had been completely cut off from the processes in the home. He had no authority, and it was not a civil service available. " The job is preposterous ," said Volmer literally. This suggests that the efficiency of parliamentary secretaries of state, which are often seen in the civil service as a disruptive factor is strongly dependent on the support of the relevant Minister. Ludger Volmer had a strained relationship with Federal Minister Joschka Fischer. However, this is not the rule situation in government practice. Usually, the parliamentary state secretaries are constitutively involved in the management of the federal ministries. The increasing density of conferences and consultation and decision requirements in the EU, NATO, UN and international level leads to a frequent agent of the Federal Minister through their parliamentary secretaries of state in council meetings. Sometimes they take on special functions such as the Minister of State Link (FDP) as " European minister of state " or Minister of State Bernd Neumann ( CDU) as a cultural representative of the federal government. They are a well-functioning hinge of the ministries in the parliamentary business, the hierarchy openly and administration skeptical and assume conceptual and sometimes delicate task for the government, such as the then Parliamentary Secretary Carl -Dieter Spranger (CSU ) in 1984 as a mediator in the Grenada affair, Parliamentary State Secretary Walter Kolbow (SPD ) as coordinator of the German help in Macedonia or currently ( 2012) of the parliamentary State Secretary Hans -Joachim thumb (CDU ) and Greece - commissioner of the federal government.

Receive support critics of the Office of the Association of Taxpayers, which also calls for the abolition of parliamentary secretaries.

In the 1990s, the number of parliamentary secretaries rose to 33, was then lowered to 27 and increased by the Merkel government back on 30. The payment of parliamentary secretaries is based on the payment of the ministers and their payment depends in turn by the permanent secretaries. Parliamentary Secretaries receive 75 percent of the district salary and compensation expenses, the service of a federal minister. A parliamentary secretary will thus receive monthly

With the exception of compensation the salary is taxable. According Taxpayers Association each Parliamentary State Secretary will cost taxpayers approximately half a million euros when official salaries, Secretariat staff, clerks and service vehicles are included.

According to the Federal Minister of Law has a former member of the Federal Government is entitled to a pension, "if it belongs to the federal government at least two years; a time in the office of the Parliamentary Secretary to a Member of the Federal Government will take into account " a" previous membership in a national government. "

Current Parliamentary Secretaries

List of current Parliamentary Secretaries and State Minister: Cabinet Merkel III (for comparison: Cabinet Merkel II from October 2009).

Parliamentary Secretaries in the Cabinet Merkel I (2005-2009) belonged exclusively to the group or party of the respective minister. A control function ( eg in Austria ) on party or political group was not be given. In the Cabinet Merkel II (2009-2013) no longer includes all parliamentary secretaries of state at the same time at the party or faction of the Minister.

In the Cabinet Merkel III there are 33 Parliamentary Secretaries. The Chancellor's Office, the Ministry of Economy and Energy and the Ministry of Transport have three Parliamentary Secretaries.

According to the Law on the Legal Status of Parliamentary Secretaries is the number of parliamentary secretaries not limited. The choice is up to the Minister in consultation with the Chancellor. However, they are usually determined as the members of the Federal Cabinet as part of the coalition agreement. The control lies solely in the political sphere within the respective federal government.

On October 20, 2013 Spiegel Online reported that there are seven Parliamentary Secretaries of the FDP are after the parliamentary elections, which are no longer MP ( because the FDP has not reached the five-percent hurdle) and two Parliamentary Secretaries from the CDU ( Thomas Kossendey from the Ministry of Defence and Hermann Kues from the Family Ministry ). There seemed to be two different interpretations - a Ministry of Finance, one at the federal government. The quoted phrase from the mirror comes from § 4 ParlStG (Law on the Legal Status of Parliamentary Secretaries ).

German Democratic Republic

In founded in 1949, German Democratic Republic (GDR), which existed until 1990, it was the function of state secretaries initially also in the sense of the Weimar tradition, though not in the sense of ( in the GDR abolished ) officialdom, then as senior employees of a Ministry and Deputy Minister superiors. This group of secretaries of state, there was also until the end of the GDR. In the ministries were headed by a party of a block belonging Minister, the Secretary of State was the highest-ranking member of the SED in the ministry and in fact often more powerful than the official superior minister in the rule.

Since 1950, however - created a second group of Secretaries of State, the independent as head of non-departmental assigned departments ( " Secretaries of State "), both belonging to the Council of Ministers of the GDR as full members - in line with the government organization in the Soviet Union. Today's most popular resorts of this kind was formed in 1957, the State Secretariat for Religious Affairs and the " State Secretariat for Labour and Wages ."

Austria

In Austria include the secretaries of state - in addition to the Federal President, the Federal Ministers and members of the provincial governments - to the highest authorities of the Federal Executive. They are appointed as ministers in forming a government, but not formally belong to the federal government. They take part in the Council of Ministers meetings as advisory bodies and are the respective member of the government (ie departmental minister or chancellor ) bound by instructions. The number of state secretaries is not fixed.

At the time of the Provisional governments 1918-1920 and 1945 were called in Austria, the minister (head of a business unit of government) Secretaries of State, Secretaries of State today undersecretaries.

Switzerland

In Switzerland, the title of Secretary of State is conferred by the Federal Council. He can temporarily grant him further Directors and Secretaries-General, when they represent on behalf of the Federal Council, Switzerland in international negotiations at the highest level. The Swiss state secretaries are not primarily support a political office, but mainly to protocol Asked higher office directors who head a Secretariat of State.

Currently ( as of 2010) there are the following four Secretaries of State:

• State Secretariat for Economic Affairs ( SECO): Secretary of State 's Marie -Gabrielle Ineichen- meat ( since April 2011).
• State Secretariat in EDA: State Secretary Yves Rossier.
• State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation ( SBFI ): Secretary of State is Dell'Ambrogio.
• State Secretariat for International Financial and Tax Matters in the FDF ( created in 2010 to strengthen the financial center of Switzerland ): Secretary of State is from November 1, 2013 Jacques de Watteville (former Secretary of Foreign Affairs )

Belgium

In Belgium, the Secretaries of State are political office holders and integral part of the federal government and the ministers are just appointed or dismissed by the king. They mainly differ in the extent of the ministers, as they do not belong to the Council of Ministers and always a minister or the Prime Minister must be self- attached to and are subject to him. The jurisdiction of Secretary of State never excludes the minister of the parent, and this is always entitled to address himself to some files. On the other hand, the Constitution, other than for the minister, not a maximum number and not a necessary balance between Dutch- and French-speaking secretaries of state before; so the Leterme government counts II seven secretaries of state, two of Dutch-speaking and French-speaking five.

The Statute of the Secretaries of State is almost identical with that of the Minister and they have basically the same responsibilities as the Minister; example, they can even countersign royal decrees. In certain cases, however, the Secretary of State requires parallel the signature of its parent Ministry of the countersignature. This is the case:

• Royal decrees presentment of bills in the House of Representatives or the Senate ( " Serving decrees ");
• Sanctions and copies of laws;
• Royal Decrees of a legislative nature ( "Rule decrees ");
• Royal decrees the creation of higher civil service posts in the administration or in public facilities.

Parallel to the federal secretaries of state secretaries of the Brussels -Capital Region are also to be noted. Also, they are politicians and carry out government functions. Their number is limited by law to three, and it is provided that at least one of the Secretaries of the " smallest linguistic group " (pronounced in Brussels: the Dutch language group ) must belong.

Secretaries of state in other countries

In Norway, Sweden, the title of State (Norwegian statssekretær, Swedish statssekreterare ) is used as in Germany.

In the Netherlands, secretaries of state - as in Austria - politicians who care for a branch of a ministry and members of the Cabinet. In some cases they also serve areas that do not fall within the competence of the parent minister.

In the successor states of the Habsburg monarchy is the meaning exactly the same as in Austria, that political affairs chief of the highest level, which, although not formally belong to the government, but to participate in an advisory capacity to the Council of Ministers, in the Czech Republic, Slovakia (Slovak štátný tajomník ), Hungary or Slovenia.

Presidential systems often do not know any Minister responsibility, political responsibility rests solely with the heads of state and head of government, so it is only formally secretaries of state, but which are grouped according to the international protocol as minister. In the English -speaking world there is the Secretary of State:

• In the UK, an important minister of the British Cabinet
• In the United States most of the foreign minister, but also have different states, depending on the constitutional situation, a Secretary of State, who may have very different tasks. In the U.S. there are next to the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense, etc.

The relevant Secretary of State in the German- position is called in the United Kingdom (Permanent) Under Secretary of State ( State Secretary ). In the United States there are the names of Deputy Secretary ( Deputy Minister or Deputy Minister ) or Under Secretary ( Under Secretary ). The German Secretary of State is in the English language of the State Secretary, what something else is specified as the Secretary of State.

In Italy and other Romance countries, this position is also referred to as Under Secretary. This office is vested by politicians and not by administrative officials. The term State is available here as less known and common synonym for ministers. The rare term Vice Minister stood as a synonym for the Under Secretary.

In Japanese ministries several officials who carry out the tasks of state secretaries exist.

The Austrian General, or the German civil servants of state ( B11) comparable Ministerialmitarbeiter hot in most ministries of other States General, who is the chief administrative officer usually heads of department, unless the Department level exists. Smaller departments often do not have a Secretary General. A few years ago the own level Vice Minister was created in Italy for example, stands between the Minister and the Undersecretary of State and occurs only in a few, very large ministries such as the Economic and Finance.

In other countries, but the Secretary is often an office next to the Ministers, the Chief Secretary of Nauru as head of the administrative, not as government parties.

In the Holy See, there is a Cardinal Secretary of State ( official name: Secretary of State of His Holiness the Pope ), which the administrative affairs of the Holy Apostolic See and the Curia ( papal superior authority ) is derived for the Pope. By protocol is the Cardinal Secretary of State at the level of heads of government.