Secretary of State is a commonly used title for a government official. The role varies between countries, and in some cases there are multiple Secretaries of State in the government.

In many countries, a secretary of state is a mid-level official. In the United Kingdom and the Holy See, a secretary of state is a senior official. In the federal government of the United States, the Secretary of State is the official responsible for foreign policy.

Belgium

As in France, a Secretary of State in Belgium is a junior minister who is responsible to a minister or the Prime Minister. For example, Vincent Van Quickenborne is a Secretary of State charged with the simplification of the administration, and in this role he is accountable to the Prime Minister, Guy Verhofstadt.

Canada

The Canadian Cabinet used to have a Secretary of State for External Affairs who acted as the country's Foreign Minister, but this position was abolished in 1993 and a new position of Minister of Foreign Affairs was created. From 1867 to 1993 there was also a Secretary of State for Canada who was a Cabinet minister whose duties varied over time but who was responsible for the Department of Secretary of State until the position was abolished. From 1993, some junior ministers are styled Secretary of State, and assigned specific policy areas to assist Cabinet ministers. However, these junior ministers are not themselves members of Cabinet. A similar role is played by Ministers of State, however Ministers are members of the cabinet.

Czech Republic

In the Czech Republic the title for Secretary of State is ministr zahraničních věcí (Minister of Foreign Affairs) from 1992. The same title had been used by Czechoslovak ministers in this office until 2 July 1992 when the government of the Czech Republic was established. In Czech the name of the office (and officer of course as well) has been slightly changing for the whole history of Czechoslovakia and Czech Republic. However, English meaning of all used titles remains the same: Minister of Foreign Affairs.

France

In France, a Secretary of State is a junior minister, responsible to a minister or the Prime Minister. It is not to be confused with the Minister of State title given to a senior French cabinet minister of particular importance.

Under the Ancien Régime, Secretaries of State were Crown officers whose responsibilities were similar to those of today's governmental ministers.

Germany

The German Staatssekretär is a Beamter (civil servant) who is second only to the minister in a state or federal ministry. The office of Staatssekretär is similar that of vice minister or deputy minister in other countries. It is a political office, meaning that it is assigned by appointment based on political criteria such as party affiliation, rather than by career progression as a civil servant. The German Foreign Office and the German Chancellery are using a slightly different title, and are calling their secretaries of state Staatsminister (Minister of State).

A special case is the Parlamentarische Staatssekretär (parliamentary secretary of state), which is a member of parliament who is appointed to a ministry as a Staatssekretär. Such posts, which were intended to improve the connection between a ministry and the parliament, have recently become subject of some controversy. Critics claim that parliamentary secretaries of state are usually given little to no influence and responsibility within their ministry. All the while they are paid very generously due to receiving two salaries, both as secretary of state and as member of parliament. For example, when interviewed about his post as a parliamentary minister of state in the German Foreign Office during an investigation into visa abuse, Ludger Volmer claimed that he had been cut off from the workflow within the ministry, and called the Staatsminister office an "Unding" (absurdity).

Holy See

The Cardinal Secretary of State presides over the Secretariat of State, which is the most important dicastery of the Roman Curia, as it organizes, makes appointments to, and directs the activities of the other dicasteries. The secretariat is also responsible for the Holy See's foreign relations. During a sede vacante, the former Secretary of State (the appointment expires when the pope dies or resigns) assumes some of the functions of the head of state as a part of a temporary commission.

Indonesia

In Indonesia, the State Secretary (Sekretaris Negara) is a Government official of Ministerial rank who heads the State Secretariat. The State Secretary gives technical and administrational assistance to the President and Vice President in running State affairs. In the President's case, the State Secretary also provides assistance for the President in his role as Supreme Commander of TNI. In addition, the State Secretary provides the President and Vice President with their reports, coordinates household matters and protocols, as well as assisting in the drafting of bills and/or Governmental regulations.

Luxembourg

Luxembourgian Secretaries of State (French: secrétaire d'Etat, Luxembourgish: Staatssekretär(in), German: Staatssekretär(in)) are members of the cabinet, and are ranked below ministers. They are given specific briefs, covering the same briefs as the ministers, and help to assist their respective ministers to perform their functions. They often hold more than one brief or assist more than one minister. In the current cabinet, there is one Secretary of State, Octavie Modert, who is responsible for Relations with Parliament; Agriculture, Viticulture, and Rural Development; and Culture, Higher Education, and Research. There had been two in the previous cabinet, and three between 1984 and 1989.

Mexico

In Mexico a Secretary of State is a member of the Mexican Executive Cabinet who responds to the President of the Republic.

Netherlands

In the Netherlands a staatssecretaris (plural: staatssecretarissen; English: state secretary) is a deputy minister, junior minister or vice-minister . Staatssecretarissen are members of cabinet, who work under a minister. They fall under the responsibility of the minister, but are separately responsible to parliament. They take over part of the minister's portfolio. Some staatssecretarissen have clearly defined portfolios like culture, science or the environment, while others' portfolios overlap with their minister's. Staatssecretarissen almost always have a different political affiliation than their minister. Staatssecretarissen do not attend the weekly council of ministers unless asked to do so.

Norway

A statssekretær in Norway plays more or less the same role as the French equivalent. Secretaries of State are connected to specific ministry, and serve as a de facto vice minister.

Portugal

In Portugal the term Secretário de Estado (plural: Secretários de Estado; feminine: Secretária de Estado; English: state secretary) was used to designate the heads of the government departments since the XVII century. In the XIX century the term Ministro (English: minister) started to be used instead. Curiously the government junior ministers continued to be known as Subsecretário de Estado (English: under-secretary of state). Although in disuse as such, only in 1958 the term Secretário de Estado became the formal meaning of a different post of that of a Ministro (cabinet minister). Since then, the Secretários de Estado are junior ministers, subordinated to a cabinet minister.

Russia

In Russia, part of the function of Secretary of State is carried on by the Foreign Minister of Russia. The situation is confused by the break-up of the USSR and the fact that each member of the old USSR had a secretary (or head) for each republic.

List of people who were Secretary of State

• Count Karl Nesselrode, State Secretary in 1814, Foreign Minister in 1816
• Count Giovanni Antonio Capo d'Istria in 1816
• M. de Freigang sometime in the 1820-1828 time period
• Sergei Witte 1903-1905
• Andrei Gromyko in 1979
• Gennady Burbulis in 1993
• Igor Ivanov until 2003
• Pavel Borodin in 2003

San Marino

In the Republic of San Marino a Secretary of State is a senior Cabinet Minister in charge of a State Department. The Secretary of State is a member of the Council of Ministers (Congresso di Stato).

Spain

A Secretario de Estado is a junior minister. Each ministry may have several Secretaries of State . For example the Secretary of State for Latin America works for the Minister of Foreign Affairs

Switzerland

In the Swiss federal administration, secretaries of state are the most senior career officials. The title is conferred by the Swiss Federal Council on heads of federal offices whose duties entail independent interaction with senior foreign authorities (cf. article 46 of the Government and Administration Organisation Act). In practice, the function of a secretary of state is the same as in France.

United Kingdom

Main article: Secretary of State (United Kingdom)

In the United Kingdom, a secretary of state is a cabinet minister in charge of a government department (though not all departments are headed by a Secretary of State, e.g. HM Treasury is headed by the Chancellor of the Exchequer). There is in theory only one office of Secretary of State, and legislation generally refers only to "the Secretary of State". In practice, there are a number of Secretaries of State, each of whom can exercise the functions of the Secretary of State, and formally titled "Her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for ...". These positions can be created without primary legislation.

United States

Federal government

Main article: United States Secretary of State

In the United States federal government, Secretary of State has the unique meaning of the official responsible for foreign policy. In most other countries, this official is called the foreign secretary or foreign minister. The U.S. Secretary of State is head of the United States Department of State. In the presidential line of succession the Secretary of State is the highest-ranking member of the Cabinet, and fourth overall. The Secretary of State is also the first cabinet member in the order of precedence, and there is a space between the Secretary of State and other cabinet members where the order allows room for former presidents and first ladies, and widows of U.S. presidents. The position is widely regarded as the senior most of the cabinet. The current U.S. Secretary of State is Condoleezza Rice, the second woman to hold the position, following Madeleine Albright.

(The current, more general-purpose name "Department/Secretary of State" was adopted two months after the Constitution because some miscellaneous, domestic duties had been added to the existing Department of Foreign Affairs.)

U.S. States

Main article: Secretary of State (U.S. state government)

In most of the individual states of the United States, the Secretary of State is an administrative officer responsible for certain governmental functions. The specifics depend on the constitution and laws of the particular state, but often include responsibility for overseeing elections within the state. In three states (Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia), the position is called "Secretary of the Commonwealth".