Deelministers

Deelministers is a term used in Dutch-language political science and journalism to refer to ministers who are assigned responsibility for a sub-portion of a ministry’s portfolio. The concept describes a form of portfolio sharing or division within a single ministry, where one or more ministers oversee specific subareas while another minister holds the overall leadership or additional subareas. The arrangement aims to provide focused leadership for particular policy domains that fall under the ministry’s remit.

In practice, deelministers may operate under the authority of a senior minister or minister without a full portfolio, and they typically participate in cabinet meetings and collective decision-making as part of the government. Their exact powers, budgetary authority, and reporting lines are defined by law, a coalition agreement, or a ministerial regulation, and can vary between countries and administrations. The structure is often used to manage complex or broad policy fields, improve coordination across agencies, or reflect political compromises within a coalition.

Deelministers are distinct from ministers without portfolio, who lack a defined sub-portfolio, and from state secretaries, who usually serve as deputies with limited cabinet status. The term is more common in academic or editorial contexts than in official titles, and its usage varies by country and government tradition. See also minister without portfolio, state secretary, and delegated ministry structures.

Note: The concept is primarily described in Dutch-language contexts and may not correspond to fixed titles in all national systems.