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Head of government

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Justin Trudeau, the Prime Minister of Canada, is known as the head of the Canadian government.

The head of government is a person, who is the highest or second-highest official of a country or area. The head of government presides over the cabinet. The head of government may not be confused with the head of state, which is "the leader of the country". For example, in the United Kingdom the queen is the head of state and the Prime Minister the head of government.

In most monarchies, the head of government has more or far more influence in politics than the head of state. In those monarchies, the head of state isn't chosen but born to become a king or queen. This isn't very democratic and through the ages the head of state lost his/her powers and the head of government gained these powers. In most republics, the head of government has less or far less influence and powrrs in politics than the head of state. In these countries, the head of state is chosen in a democratic way (like elections). However, in some republics (like Germany) the head of government has still more political powers.

In most countries the head of government is called a premier, first minister or prime minister (PM). Some countries use several terms and others have other terms. Germany and Austria have for example a chancellor and Ireland has a Taoiseach. In some countries, the function of head of state and head of government are combined into one person. The president of Turkey is the head of state as well as the head of government.