A cabinet reshuffle is a way for a head of government to manage the effectiveness of their ministry. It can involve removing underperforming ministers, promoting high-performing ones, or simply adding new portfolios to reflect policy shifts. Reshuffles can also be a way to refresh the cabinet, something that often happens when a government’s popularity declines – the latest example is Boris Johnson’s purge of senior ministers on February 13.
While a cabinet functions differently in different systems, the basic premise is that members are chosen by or for a legislative body with the power to appoint them to their positions. In the case of parliamentary systems, such as that of the UK and Australia, cabinet members are sitting members of parliament (or equivalent). In presidential systems, such as those of the United States and Brazil, cabinet members must be confirmed by one or more houses of the legislature, a process known as a ‘majority vote’.
A primary reason for cabinet reshuffles is performance management, though other reasons include managing party divisions – sending critical rivals to the backbenches frees them from collective cabinet responsibility and allows them to openly criticise the government. Another key reason is to introduce new MPs to the cabinet – though there are limits to how much a prime minister can do this, especially in presidential systems, where senators must confirm all appointments. Finally, reshuffles can be a way to signal a change in direction or priorities for a government – although in many cases the specific changes will not be apparent to the public until some time after the reshuffle takes effect.