First minister facts for kids

A first minister is a special kind of leader in a government. Think of them like a Prime Minister, but usually for a part of a country that has its own government, rather than the whole country. This is often seen in places where power has been shared from a central government to local regions, a process called devolution.

First ministers lead a group of top government officials called a cabinet. They are in charge of making important decisions for their region or territory.

First Ministers in Canada

In Canada, the term "first minister" is used to describe the main leaders of the government. This includes the Prime Minister of Canada, who leads the whole country, and also the leaders of Canada's different provinces and territories. These provincial and territorial leaders are usually called premiers.

For example, when the Prime Minister and all the provincial premiers meet to discuss national issues, these gatherings are called "first ministers' meetings."

There's also a special self-governing region for the Inuit people in Newfoundland and Labrador called Nunatsiavut. This region has its own leader, who is also called a first minister.

First Ministers in Norway's History

Long ago, the leader of Norway's government was called a first minister (or førstestatsråd in Norwegian). This was between 1814 and 1873, when Norway was in a personal union with Sweden. This meant they shared the same king but had separate governments.

Later, in 1893, the title was changed to prime minister (statsminister). This happened 12 years before Norway and Sweden officially separated in 1905.

First Ministers in the United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, the term first minister used to sometimes mean the same as prime minister. For instance, Winston Churchill, a famous former Prime Minister, once said he didn't become "His Majesty's First Minister" to end the British Empire.

Today, the term has a different meaning. It refers to the leaders of the governments in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. These governments have their own powers because of devolution. This means they can make many of their own laws and decisions.

• The leader of Scotland's government is the First Minister of Scotland.
• The leader of Wales's government is the First Minister of Wales.
• In Northern Ireland, the government is led by a First Minister and a deputy First Minister.

Other Places with First Ministers

The idea of a "first minister" or a similar role exists in other parts of the world too:

• In Australia, the leaders of the different states and territories are called premiers or chief ministers. They act as the first ministers for their regions.
• In Germany, the leader of each federal state is known as the Minister President (Ministerpräsident). This title is also used in some other countries that have been influenced by German history, like Latvia and the Netherlands.
• In Malaysia, the leader of each state that has a Malay ruler is called the Menteri Besar. In states without a monarch, the leaders are known as chief ministers.
• George Cadle Price was the First Minister of British Honduras from 1961 to 1964. British Honduras was a colony that later became the independent country of Belize. When British Honduras became self-governing, his title changed to Premier. He then became the first Prime Minister when Belize gained full independence in 1981.

See also

In Spanish: Ministro principal para niños