# Deputy prime minister

A deputy prime minister or vice prime minister is, in some countries, a government minister who can take the position of acting prime minister when the prime minister is temporarily absent. The position is often likened to that of a vice president, as both positions are "number two" offices, but there are some differences.
The states of Australia and provinces of Canada each have the analogous office of deputy premier. In the devolved administrations of the United Kingdom, an analogous position is that of the deputy First Minister, albeit the position in Northern Ireland has equivalent powers to the First Minister differing only in the titles of the offices. In Canada, the position of deputy prime minister should not be confused with the Canadian deputy minister of the prime minister of Canada, a nonpolitical civil servant position.
In Austria and Germany, the officeholder is known as vice-chancellor.
A deputy prime minister traditionally serves as acting prime minister when the prime minister is temporarily absent or incapable of exercising power. The deputy prime minister is often asked to succeed to the prime minister's office following the prime minister's sudden death or unexpected resignation, but that is not necessarily mandated by the constitution. This government position is often a job that is held simultaneously with another ministry, and is usually given to one of the most senior or experienced ministers of the cabinet. The holder of this office may also be deputy leader of the governing party, or perhaps the leader of the junior party of a coalition government.
Little scholarly attention has focused on deputy prime ministers, as they are sometimes less involved in the political power plays of government and more focus on the work at hand. A 2009 study in Political Science identified nine 'qualities' of deputy prime ministership: temperament; relationships with their Cabinet and caucus; relationships with their party; popularity with the public; media skills; achievements as deputy prime minister; relationship with the prime minister; leadership ambition; and method of succession.
By contrast, the structure of the Government of Russia and Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine provides for several deputy prime ministers or vice prime ministers. In the case of the Russian government, the prime minister is responsible for defining the scope of the duties for each of their deputies, who also may head a specific ministry: e.g. the former Minister of Finance of Russia, Alexey Kudrin, also serves as one of the deputies of the prime ministers or vice-premiers. One or two of these deputy prime ministers may hold the title of a first deputy prime minister. Russian federal law indicates that in accordance with the order established in advance, one of the deputy prime ministers may temporarily substitute for the prime minister in their absence. Customarily, however, it is to one of the "first" Deputy prime ministers that the prime-ministerial duties may be delegated. At the same time, in the case of prime minister's resignation, the law allows the President of Russia to choose any of the current vice-premiers to serve as an acting prime minister until the confirmation of the new government.
There is also the special case of Belgium: in the Federal Government of Belgium, a deputy prime minister not only replaces the prime minister in the case they are incapacitated, but also acts as the link between the government and their political party. In short, in Belgium, a Deputy prime minister is the voice of their political party in the federal government, and they are the voice of the government in their political party. The prime minister and the deputy prime ministers form what is called the "inner cabinet" (kernkabinet; conseil des ministres restreint or kern), an instance where the most important political decisions are discussed and taken.

## Lists of deputy prime ministers

| State | Office | Officeholder | Assumed office |
| Afghanistan | Deputy prime minister | Abdul Ghani Baradar (acting, first) | 7 September 2021 |
| Afghanistan | Deputy prime minister | Abdul Salam Hanafi (acting, second) | 7 September 2021 |
| Afghanistan | Deputy prime minister | Abdul Kabir (acting, third) | 4 October 2021 |
| Albania | Deputy prime minister | Arben Ahmetaj | 18 September 2021 |
| Antigua and Barbuda | Deputy prime minister | Robin Yearwood | |
| Armenia | Deputy prime minister | Tigran Avinyan | 11 May 2018 |
| Armenia | Deputy prime minister | Mher Grigoryan | 11 May 2018 |
| Australia | Deputy prime minister | Richard Marles | 23 May 2022 |
| Austria | Vice-chancellor | Vacant | |
| Azerbaijan | Deputy prime minister | Yagub Eyyubov and Shahin Mustafayev | 13 February 2003 and 22 October 2019 |
| Bahamas | Deputy prime minister | Chester Cooper | 17 September 2021 |
| Bahrain | Deputy prime minister | Khalid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa | 2 November 2010 |
| Bangladesh | Deputy Prime Minister of Bangladesh | Vacant | |
| Barbados | Deputy prime minister | Santia Bradshaw | 26 January 2022 |
| Belarus | Deputy prime minister | Mikalay Snapkow, Pyotr Parkhomchik, Ihar Petryshenka, Anatol Sivak, Leanid Zayats | |
| Belgium | Deputy prime minister | Pierre-Yves Dermagne | 1 October 2020 |
| Belgium | Deputy prime minister | Georges Gilkinet | 1 October 2020 |
| Belgium | Deputy prime minister | Vincent Van Peteghem | 1 October 2020 |
| Belgium | Deputy prime minister | Frank Vandenbroucke | 1 October 2020 |
| Belgium | Deputy prime minister | Petra De Sutter | 1 October 2020 |
| Belgium | Deputy prime minister | David Clarinval | 22 April 2022 |
| Belgium | Deputy prime minister | Paul Van Tigchelt | 22 October 2023 |
| Belize | Deputy prime minister | Cordel Hyde | 16 November 2020 |
| Bulgaria | Deputy prime minister | Lyudmila Petkova | |
| Cambodia | Deputy prime minister | Aun Pornmoniroth | 6 September 2018 |
| Cambodia | Deputy prime minister | Vongsey Vissoth | 22 August 2023 |
| Cambodia | Deputy prime minister | Sar Sokha | 22 August 2023 |
| Cambodia | Deputy prime minister | Tea Seiha | 22 August 2023 |
| Cambodia | Deputy prime minister | Hangchuon Naron | 22 August 2023 |
| Cambodia | Deputy prime minister | Sok Chenda Sophea | 22 August 2023 |
| Cambodia | Deputy prime minister | Keut Rith | 22 August 2023 |
| Cambodia | Deputy prime minister | Say Sam Al | 22 August 2023 |
| Cambodia | Deputy prime minister | Sun Chanthol | 22 August 2023 |
| Cambodia | Deputy prime minister | Neth Savoeun | 22 August 2023 |
| Canada | Deputy prime minister | Vacant (since 2024) | N/A |
| China | First vice premier | Ding Xuexiang | 12 March 2023 |
| China | Second vice premier | He Lifeng | 12 March 2023 |
| China | Third vice premier | Zhang Guoqing | 12 March 2023 |
| China | Fourth vice premier | Liu Guozhong | 12 March 2023 |
| Croatia | Deputy prime minister | Davor Božinović | 19 July 2019 |
| Croatia | Deputy prime minister | Tomo Medved | 23 July 2020 |
| Croatia | Deputy prime minister | Oleg Butković | 15 July 2022 |
| Croatia | Deputy prime minister | Branko Bačić | 17 January 2023 |
| Croatia | Deputy prime minister | Marko Primorac | 17 May 2024 |
| Croatia | Deputy prime minister | Josip Dabro | 17 May 2024 |
| Czech Republic | First deputy prime minister | Vít Rakušan | 17 December 2021 |
| Czech Republic | Deputy prime minister | Marian Jurečka | 17 December 2021 |
| Czech Republic | Deputy prime minister | Ivan Bartoš | 17 December 2021 |
| Czech Republic | Deputy prime minister | Vlastimil Válek | 17 December 2021 |
| Denmark | Deputy Prime Minister | Troels Lund Poulsen | 23 October 2022 |
| Dominica | Deputy Prime Minister | Irving McIntyre | 13 December 2022 |
| East Timor | Deputy prime minister | Armanda Berta dos Santos | 29 May 2020 |
| East Timor | Deputy prime minister | José Maria dos Reis | 24 June 2020 |
| Egypt | Deputy prime minister | Khaled Abdel Ghaffar and Kamel al-Wazir | |
| Equatorial Guinea | Deputy prime minister | Clemente Engonga Nguema Onguene, Ángel Mesie Mibuy and Alfonso Nsue Mokuy | |
| Eswatini | Deputy prime minister | Themba N. Masuku | 4 November 2018 |
| Ethiopia | Deputy Prime Minister | Temesgen Tiruneh | 21 September 2012 |
| Fiji | Deputy prime minister | Biman Prasad | 24 Dec 2022 |
| Finland | Deputy prime minister | Annika Saarikko | 10 September 2020 |
| Georgia | Vice Prime Minister | Thea Tsulukiani | 31 March 2021 |
| Georgia | Vice Prime Minister | Levan Davitashvili | 12 July 2021 |
| Germany | Vice-Chancellor | Robert Habeck | 8 December 2021 |
| Greece | Deputy prime minister | Vacant (since 2023) | N/A |
| Hungary | Deputy prime minister | Zsolt Semjén | 1 June 2010 |
| India | Deputy prime minister | Vacant (since 2004) | N/A |
| Iraq | Deputy prime minister | Fuad Hussein and Ali Tamim | |
| Ireland | Tánaiste | Micheál Martin | 17 December 2022 |
| Israel | Deputy prime minister | Yariv Levin | 29 December 2022 |
| Israel | Vice prime minister | Vacant (since 2023) | N/A |
| Italy | Deputy prime minister | Matteo Salvini | 22 October 2022 |
| Italy | Deputy prime minister | Antonio Tajani | 22 October 2022 |
| Jamaica | Deputy prime minister | Horace Chang | 7 September 2020 |
| Japan | Deputy prime minister | Vacant (since 2021) | N/A |
| Jordan | Deputy prime minister | Ayman Safadi | |
| Kazakhstan | First deputy prime minister | Alihan Smaiylov | 25 February 2019 |
| Kazakhstan | Deputy prime minister | Roman Sklyar | 18 September 2019 |
| Kazakhstan | Deputy prime minister | Eraly Togjanov | 11 February 2020 |
| Kosovo | Deputy prime minister | Donika Gërvalla-Schwarz and Emilija Redžepi | 22 March 2021 |
| Kurdistan | Deputy Prime Minister | Qubad Talabani | June 2014 |
| Kuwait | Deputy prime minister | Fahad Yusuf Al-Sabah, Sharida Abdallah Saad Al Maousherji, Imad Mohammad Alatiqi | |
| Kyrgyzstan | First deputy chairman of the cabinet of ministers | Adylbek Kasymaliev | 20 June 2022 |
| Kyrgyzstan | Deputy chairman of the cabinet of ministers | variable, currently three deputies | by cabinet |
| Laos | Deputy prime minister | Kikeo Khaykhamphithoune | 2021 |
| Laos | Deputy prime minister | Chansamone Chanyalath | 2021 |
| Laos | Deputy prime minister | Saleumxay Kommasith | 20 June 2022 |
| Laos | Deputy prime minister | Vilay Lakhamfong | 20 June 2022 |
| Lebanon | Deputy prime minister | Saadeh Al Shami | 10 September 2021 |
| Lesotho | Deputy prime minister | Mathibeli Mokhothu | 21 May 2020 |
| Liechtenstein | Deputy prime minister | Sabine Monauni | 25 March 2021 |
| Luxembourg | Deputy prime ministers | Xavier Bettel | 17 November 2023 |
| Malaysia | Deputy Prime Ministers | Ahmad Zahid Hamidi | 3 December 2022 |
| Malaysia | Deputy Prime Ministers | Fadillah Yusof | 3 December 2022 |
| Malta | Deputy prime minister | Vacant (since 2024) | N/A |
| Mauritius | Deputy prime minister | Paul Bérenger | 29 December 2024 |
| Mauritius | Vice-prime minister | Vacant (since 2024) | N/A |
| Moldova | Deputy Prime Minister | Mihai Popșoi | 29 January 2024 |
| Moldova | Deputy Prime Minister | Dumitru Alaiba | 16 February 2023 |
| Moldova | Deputy Prime Minister | Vladimir Bolea | 16 February 2023 |
| Moldova | Deputy Prime Minister | Cristina Gherasimov | 5 February 2024 |
| Moldova | Deputy Prime Minister | Oleg Serebrian | 19 January 2022 |
| Mongolia | Deputy prime minister | Amarsaikhan Sainbuyan | 29 January 2021 |
| Mongolia | Deputy prime minister | Togmidyn Dorjkhand | 10 July 2024 |
| Montenegro | Deputy prime minister | Vladimir Joković | 28 April 2022 |
| Montenegro | Deputy prime minister | Raško Konjević | 28 April 2022 |
| Montenegro | Deputy prime minister | Jovana Marović | 28 April 2022 |
| Montenegro | Deputy prime minister | Ervin Ibrahimović | 28 April 2022 |
| Myanmar | Deputy prime minister | Soe Win | 1 August 2021 |
| Myanmar | Deputy prime minister | Mya Tun Oo | 1 February 2023 |
| Myanmar | Deputy prime minister | Tin Aung San | 1 February 2023 |
| Myanmar | Deputy prime minister | Win Shein | 1 February 2023 |
| Myanmar | Deputy prime minister | Than Swe | 3 August 2023 |
| Namibia | Deputy-prime minister | John Mutorwa | 9 February 2024 |
| Nepal | Deputy prime minister | Prakash Man Singh | 15 July 2024 |
| Nepal | Deputy prime minister | Bishnu Prasad Paudel | 15 July 2024 |
| Netherlands | Deputy prime minister | Fleur Agema | 2 July 2024 |
| Netherlands | Deputy prime minister | Sophie Hermans | 2 July 2024 |
| Netherlands | Deputy prime minister | Eddy van Hijum | 2 July 2024 |
| Netherlands | Deputy prime minister | Mona Keijzer | 2 July 2024 |
| New Zealand | Deputy prime minister | Winston Peters | 27 November 2023 |
| North Korea | Vice premier | Pak Jong-gun | 2021 |
| North Korea | Vice premier | Yang Sung-ho | 2020 |
| North Korea | Vice premier | Kim Song-ryong | 2021 |
| North Korea | Vice premier | Ri Song-hak | 2021 |
| North Korea | Vice premier | Pak Hun | 2021 |
| North Korea | Vice premier | Ju Chol-gyu | 2021 |
| North Korea | Vice premier | Jon Sung-guk | 2022 |
| North Macedonia | Deputy prime minister | Izet Mexhiti Ljupco Dimovski Ivan Stoilković Orhan Murtenzai Arben Fetaj Aleksandar Nikolovski | 23 June 2024 |
| Oman | Deputy prime minister |
| Oman | Deputy prime minister | Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said | 1972 |
| Oman | Deputy prime minister | Asa'ad bin Tariq Al Said | 2017 |
| Oman | Deputy prime minister | Shihab bin Tariq Al Said | 2020 |
| Pakistan | Deputy prime minister | Ishaq Dar | 29 March 2024 |
| Papua New Guinea | Deputy prime minister | Vacant | 11 May 2022 |
| Poland | Deputy prime minister | Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz | 13 December 2023 |
| Poland | Deputy prime minister | Krzysztof Gawkowski | 13 December 2023 |
| Portugal | Deputy prime minister | Vacant (since 2015) | N/A |
| Qatar | Deputy prime minister | Khalid bin Mohammad Al Attiyah | January 2016 |
| Romania | Deputy prime minister | Marian Neacșu | 15 June 2023 |
| Romania | Deputy prime minister | Cătălin Predoiu | 15 June 2023 |
| Russia | First Deputy Chairman of the Government | Denis Manturov | 14 May 2024 |
| Russia | Deputy Chairmen of the Government | variable, up to eight deputies | by cabinet |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | Deputy prime minister | Geoffrey Hanley | 6 August 2022 |
| Saint Lucia | Deputy prime minister | Ernest Hilaire | January 2022 |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Deputy prime minister | Montgomery Daniel | 7 November 2020 |
| Samoa | Deputy prime minister | Tuala Iosefo Ponifasio | 24 May 2021 |
| Saudi Arabia | Deputy prime minister | Vacant (since 2022) | N/A |
| Serbia | First deputy prime minister | Ivica Dačić | 27 April 2014 |
| Serbia | Deputy prime minister | Rasim Ljajić | 27 July 2012 |
| Serbia | Deputy prime minister | Zorana Mihajlović | 27 April 2014 |
| Serbia | Deputy prime minister | Nebojša Stefanović | 11 August 2016 |
| Singapore | Deputy prime minister | Heng Swee Keat | 1 May 2019 |
| Singapore | Deputy prime minister | Gan Kim Yong | 15 May 2024 |
| Slovakia | Deputy prime ministers | Robert Kalinak, Denisa Sakova, Tomáš Taraba, Peter Kmec | |
| Slovenia | Deputy prime minister | Zdravko Počivalšek | 13 March 2020 |
| Slovenia | Deputy prime minister | Matej Tonin | 13 March 2020 |
| Slovenia | Deputy prime minister | Aleksandra Pivec | 13 March 2020 |
| Solomon Islands | Deputy prime minister | Manasseh Maelanga | 1 November 2019 |
| Somalia | Deputy prime ministers | Salah Ahmed Jama | |
| South Korea | Deputy prime minister | Lee Ju-ho | 7 November 2022 |
| South Korea | Deputy prime minister | Choi Sang-mok | 29 December 2023 |
| Spain | First Deputy prime minister | María Jesús Montero | 29 December 2023 |
| Spain | Second Deputy Prime Minister | Yolanda Díaz | 12 July 2021 |
| Spain | Third Deputy Prime Minister | Sara Aagesen | 25 November 2024 |
| Sweden | Deputy prime minister | Ebba Busch | 18 October 2022 |
| Syria | Deputy prime minister | Vacant (since 2023) | N/A |
| Taiwan | Vice premier | Cheng Wen-tsan | 31 January 2023 |
| Thailand | Deputy prime minister | Anutin Charnvirakul | 10 July 2019 |
| Thailand | Deputy prime minister | Phumtham Wechayachai | 1 September 2023 |
| Thailand | Deputy prime minister | Patcharawat Wongsuwon | 1 September 2023 |
| Thailand | Deputy prime minister | Pirapan Salirathavibhaga | 1 September 2023 |
| Thailand | Deputy prime minister | Suriya Juangroongruangkit | 27 April 2024 |
| Thailand | Deputy prime minister | Pichai Chunhavajira | 27 April 2024 |
| Thailand | Deputy prime minister | Prasert Chantararuangthong | 3 September 2024 |
| Tonga | Deputy prime minister | Vacant (since 10 August 2022) | N/A |
| Tuvalu | Deputy prime minister | Minute Alapati Taupo | 20 September 2019 |
| Uganda | Deputy prime minister | Rebecca Kadaga Moses Ali Lukia Isanga Nakadama | June 2021 |
| Ukraine | Deputy prime minister | Yulia Svyrydenko | November 2021 |
| United Arab Emirates | Deputy prime minister | Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Maktoum bin Mohammed Al Maktoum | |
| United Kingdom | Deputy prime minister | Angela Rayner | 5 July 2024 |
| Uzbekistan | Deputy prime ministers | Zulayho Mahkamova, Jamshid Qochqorov, Ochilboy Ramatov, Jamshid Xojayev | |
| Vanuatu | Deputy prime minister | Ishmael Kalsakau | 21 April 2020 |
| Vietnam | First Deputy prime minister | Nguyễn Hòa Bình | 26 August 2024 |
| Vietnam | Deputy prime minister | Trần Hồng Hà | 5 January 2023 |
| Vietnam | Deputy prime minister | Lê Thành Long | 6 June 2024 |
| Vietnam | Deputy prime minister | Hồ Đức Phớc | 26 August 2024 |
| Vietnam | Deputy prime minister | Bùi Thanh Sơn | 26 August 2024 |
| Yemen | Deputy prime minister | Vacant (since 2022) | N/A |

## Position abolished

* Deputy Prime Minister of Bangladesh
* Deputy Prime Minister of Burundi
* Deputy Prime Minister of Cameroon
* Deputy Prime Minister of France
* Deputy Prime Minister of Gabon
* Deputy Prime Minister of Grenada
* Deputy Prime Minister of Indonesia
* Deputy Prime Minister of Kenya
* Deputy Prime Minister of Libya
* Deputy to the Prime Minister of Norway
* Deputy Prime Minister of Suriname
* Deputy Prime Minister of Turkey
* Deputy Prime Minister of Zimbabwe