staatssecretaris

Staatssecretaris is a government position in Dutch-speaking countries that refers to a junior minister or Secretary of State who assists a minister and is responsible for a specific policy area within a ministry.

In the Netherlands, a staatssecretaris is a member of the Cabinet who heads a policy area within a ministry and acts under the responsibility of a minister. The minister remains the primary political and legal authority for the policy, while the staatssecretaris develops policy, prepares legislation, and oversees implementation in its assigned domain. They are appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the Prime Minister and the minister and serve for the duration of the governing cabinet. Parliament holds them answerable through questions and inquiries directed to the minister.

In Belgium, a staatssecretaris—often rendered as Secretary of State—also belongs to the federal government and assists a minister. They may have a distinct portfolio or handle a specific issue within a ministry and are typically accountable to the minister and to Parliament via the government as a whole. They are appointed by the king on the Prime Minister's proposal and usually serve as long as the coalition governs.

The position serves to distribute responsibility within the executive and to address separate policy areas within a ministry.