The Cabinet is the name of the group of political appointees that advise and operate the executive branch of a country’s government. Cabinet members are selected for their expertise in specific policy areas, and the collaborative nature of Cabinet meetings provides a wide range of perspectives to inform decision-making.
In countries that follow a parliamentary system, the Cabinet influences legislative agendas through its ministries. A minister is in charge of each ministry and often the majority of proposed legislation originates within a cabinet ministry prior to being passed by parliament. In this way, the Cabinet has a significant impact on the direction of the government. In the United States, where presidential systems predominate, the Cabinet acts as an advisory council to the head of state (known as a President in this case), and the head of government is ultimately accountable for policy direction.
A cabinet is a storage unit typically with one or more doors, drawers, or shelves mounted with door hardware. A cabinet may be free-standing or built into a room, for example, in a kitchen. Kitchen cabinets are usually constructed of solid wood and have a finished surface, known as a counter top, on which a person can stand to work. A cabinet may have a fully enclosed base or, more commonly, a scrolled base that removes areas of the base material and leaves feet on which the cabinet stands.
In presidential systems, cabinet members are appointed by the head of state and serve at the pleasure of that same individual. They are legally obligated to publicly support all policies endorsed by the head of state, regardless of their private reservations. In many cases, the legislature or a segment of it must confirm a cabinet member’s appointment and the members of the legislature can remove a minister through a usually difficult impeachment process.
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