Kabinettet

Kabinettet is the term used in Norwegian and Danish to denote the cabinet—the collective body of government ministers, led by the head of government, that forms the executive branch. The cabinet is responsible for proposing and implementing policy, directing the civil service, and coordinating the work of state agencies. In parliamentary systems, cabinet members are typically drawn from the legislature and must maintain the confidence of the parliament; the prime minister or premier chairs meetings and can conduct cabinet reshuffles or dismiss ministers.

The definite form Kabinettet is commonly used to refer to the current or a specific government, for example in official statements such as Kabinettet vedtok, meaning the cabinet approved. The term emphasizes the formal, collective nature of the executive branch rather than individual ministers.

Originating from the word cabinet, which historically referred to a private room or chamber, Kabinettet reflects the view of the cabinet as a council or cabinet meeting where policy is discussed and decisions are taken. The concept of a cabinet as an organized executive body developed in early modern Europe and remains central to many constitutional systems around the world.

In other languages related terms exist, such as the German Kabinett, which can denote either a government body of ministers or a cabinet room in different contexts. The general idea in these languages is similar: a cabinet is the highest level of executive decision-making in a state, while the word can also appear in non-government senses to indicate a small room or storage-like space in some usages.

See also: Government, Cabinet (politics), Council of Ministers.