See also: Cabinet

The shadow cabinet is a virtual Gouvernement formed by the principal party of the opposition (Official opposition) stripped of real capacities, which one finds mainly in the States whose parliamentary democracy functions under the Système of Westminster. The members of the shadow cabinet are called “  carry-paroles  ” or “  critiques  ” and duplicate each ministerial position of the government (ex: the spokesperson of the opposition as regards National defense, critic of the Minister for Finance).

Role

The principal responsibility for the shadow cabinet is to criticize the government in place and to offer an alternative, the goal being to have a government already in place loan to seize the power in the event of electoral victory. The purpose of this way of functioning is also to offer a form of safety to the voters who have the possibility of seeing the form that the government of replacement will be able to take if the opposition party is elected. However, in practice it is current that the members of the shadow cabinet are not all named at the Council of Ministers or that they are named with a ministry other than that for which they were spokespersons when the party seizes the power.

It is current today for the left thirds represented at the Parliaments to also form their own shadow cabinet, even if they do not form the official opposition and even if they are not likely any to seize the power. In addition to transmitting an image of discipline and professionalism to the public, that makes it possible to coordinate their efforts of opposition and critic of the government.

Names of the cabinets

In Great Britain and to the Canada, the political principal party of opposition and more specifically its shadow cabinet carry the official title of “  Honest opposition of Its Majesté  ” (English: Her Majesty' S Honest Opposition ). The adjective “  loyal  ” must be included/understood here in the sense that this cabinet calls into question the legitimacy neither of the Monarchie, nor of the government in place. Contrary, other countries such as the Australia and the New Zealand use simply the name “  Opposition parlementaire  ” ( The Parliamentary Opposition ).

Mode of election

In Australia, the election with the shadow cabinet is done by a democratic poll, the leader of the opposition then allotting the various ministries to the elected officials. In the other countries, the appointment of the members of the shadow cabinet is with the exclusive discretion of the Chief of the Opposition.

List principal cabinets

• Australia
• Shadow Cabinet (Australian Labor Party)

• Canada

• Shadow cabinet of the Official opposition (Liberal party of Canada)
• Shadow cabinet of the Québécois Block
• Shadow cabinet of the New Democratic party

• France

• a first experiment of shadow governement at summer installation by François Mitterrand in 1966.
• Following l´élection of Nicolas Sarkozy like chairs Republic in 2007, Laurence Girard and Jean-Marc Ayrault, members of the French Socialist party, proposed creation d´un shadow cabinet in this country.

See also: Shadow governement in France

• See also General secretary of the presidency of the French Republic

• Ireland

• Opposition Bench Face (Fine Gael)
• Irish Ploughing Party Frontbench TEAM

• Japan

• Next Cabinet (Democratic Party off Japan)

• Poland

• Shadow Cabinet (Citizens Platform)

• the United Kingdom

• Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet (Conservative party)
• Liberal Democrat Frontbench TEAM

Sources