premier

A premier is a title for the head of government in some countries.

In many nations, the title "premier" is used interchangeably with "prime minister": for example, the "Italian Premier" is the same person as the "Italian President of the Council of Ministers". In the People's Republic of China, "premier" is more common, but "prime minister" is still used (see Premier of the People's Republic of China).

The head of government in each of the six states federated under the Commonwealth of Australia (New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania) is termed the premier. He or she is appointed by the governor of each state. The governor is the representative of the Queen of Australia, Elizabeth II, who is also Queen of the United Kingdom. The federal head of government is always referred to, even informally, as prime minister.

In Bermuda and the Turks and Caicos Islands, both British overseas territories, their elected head of government is called the "premier". In other overseas territories, elected heads are called the chief minister. In the Cayman Islands, this position is known as the Leader of Government Business.

"Premier" is also the title of the heads of government in sub-national entities, such as the provinces and territories of Canada, provinces of South Africa, the island of Nevis within the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, and the nation of Niue. In some of these cases, the formal title remains "Prime Minister" but "Premier" is used to avoid confusion with the national leader. In these cases, care should be taken not to confuse the title of "premier" with "prime minister". In these countries, terms such as "Federal Premier" or "National Premier" were sometimes used to refer to prime ministers, although these are now obsolete. In Canadian French, the equivalent of the English word "premier" is "premier ministre", which is also the word used for "prime minister".

In the Czech Republic, "Premiér" means the "Prime Minister" and the Czech language translates both "Premier" and "Prime Minister" as "Premiér".

A premier will normally be a head of government, but is not usually the head of state. In presidential systems, the two roles are often combined into one, whereas in parliamentary systems of government the two are usually kept separate. An example of a nation having separate roles for the premier/prime minister and the president is the Fifth French Republic.

In the Soviet Union, the title of premier was applied to the Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars or, after 1946, to the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the USSR.

A second in command to a premier is designated as a vice-premier or deputy premier.

See also

• Prime Minister
• Chief Minister
• Premiers of the Australian states
• Premier of Bermuda
• Premiers of Canada
• Chancellor of China
• List of premiers of China
• Premier of the Soviet Union
• Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands
• President of the Council of Ministers

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