prime minister

government official
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Also known as: premier
Walpole, Robert
Walpole, Robert
Key People:
Shavkat Mirziyoyev
Related Topics:
vote of confidence office taoiseach

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prime minister, also called premier, the head of government in a country with a parliamentary or semipresidential political system. In such systems, the prime minister—literally the “first,” or most important, minister—must be able to command a continuous majority in the legislature (usually the lower house in a bicameral system) to remain in office. Most countries with prime ministers have two executives, a head of government (the prime minister) and a head of state (generally either a non-executive president or a hereditary monarch). The head of state formally appoints the prime minister, who in turn selects the other cabinet ministers. In ...(100 of 2314 words)