A cabinet reshuffle is the process of changing who is in charge of which departments in the government. It can be relatively minor – for example, when someone resigns or needs to be replaced – or can be a significant transformation with many ministerial roles being removed or added. It can also be used to signal shifts in policy priorities.
The cabinet is the group of politicians with the most important jobs in a country. It is a small group that meets regularly to discuss how to run the country and make decisions. There are different ways of naming the cabinet, with some countries using a name that refers to other institutions. In parliamentary systems, such as the United Kingdom, it is usually called the cabinet, but in presidential systems such as the United States it may be known by other names.
Ministerial churn: Excessive turnover makes it harder for ministers to build expertise about their departments and can undermine effective decision-making. In addition, regular reshuffles can make it hard for parliament to hold the cabinet to account over policy implementation and outcomes.
Internal party politics: Reshuffles can be a way for prime ministers to rebalance power and promote their own members within the cabinet. But it is important for a functioning government to have continuity and consistency in leadership. A time limit on ministerial appointments could be an important way of achieving this. It would mean that ministers have a longer time to demonstrate their skills and effectiveness in office, and there is less incentive for them to disrupt a government for personal political gain.