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Politics & Government vocabulary · Government and the Executive

Prime minister

Meaning in politics & government, with examples

/ˌpraɪm ˈmɪnɪstə/nounCore term

In politics & government, prime minister means: The leader of the government in many countries, usually the head of the largest party or coalition in parliament, who chairs the cabinet.

In Turkish: başbakan

How it is used

Often shortened to PM in news. The prime minister is appointed or elected by parliament, forms a cabinet, answers questions in parliament and may resign or call an early election. In parliamentary systems the prime minister is the head of government, while a president or monarch is the head of state.

Example sentences

  1. The prime minister will meet business leaders to discuss the energy plan.

  2. The new prime minister announced her cabinet on Monday.

Common collocations

  • deputy prime minister
  • become prime minister
  • the prime minister's office
  • acting prime minister
  • head of governmentThe person who leads the government and runs its daily work, such as a prime minister or, in presidential systems, the president.
  • cabinetThe group of senior ministers, led by the prime minister or president, who meet regularly to decide government policy.
  • presidentThe head of state in a republic. In presidential systems the president also leads the government, while in parliamentary systems the role is often mainly ceremonial.
  • parliamentary systemA system of government in which the government comes from parliament and must keep the support of a majority there to stay in power.
  • ministerA senior member of the government who is responsible for a particular area of policy, such as health, education or finance, and usually leads a ministry.

More terms: Government and the Executive

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