Existence of political responsibility for the public service

The political responsibility for the public service is clearly assigned

Review of legislation on the organisation and functioning of the government, the organisation of public administration in the central government, and legislation on the public service. Legislation on the public service may include a law on the civil service, and/or the general law on the public service, if it exists. The analysis must determine whether the political responsibility for the public service in the central government administration is established. Namely, whether there is a political authority with the responsibility to formulate policies and regulations for the public service and oversee implementation. The political responsibility for the public service may be assigned to a single authority (e.g., a ministry of public administration) or to several (e.g., the ministry responsible for public administration and the ministry responsible for finance, the later regarding the public service salary policy).

The political responsibility encompasses the whole public service in the central government administration

Review of legislation on the organisation and functioning of the government, the organisation of public administration in the central government, and legislation on the public service. Legislation on the public service may include a law on the civil service, and/or the general law on the public service, if it exists. The analysis must determine whether the scope of political responsibility for the civil service in the central government administration encompasses at least the ministries, including their deconcentrated services, the administration of the government, the administration of the prime minister, bodies reporting directly to the government, the prime minister or ministers and their deconcentrated services. The administration of sub-national governments is excluded from the analysis.

The authority responsible for the public service in the central government administration is a member of the Council of Ministers (CoM) (or equivalent)

Review of legislation on the organisation and functioning of the government, the organisation of public administration in the central government, and legislation on the public service. Legislation on the public service may include a law on the civil service, and/or the general law on the public service, if it exists. The analysis must check whether the authority(ies) responsible for the public service policy is a member of the council of ministers (CoM). Membership and/or participation of the authority(ies) politically responsible for the public service in the CoM is considered a proxy for exercising political responsibility for the civil service in practice.