Technically, the Minister for Magic is supposed to be the most powerful person in wizarding Britain. It just so happens that everyone who fills the position throughout the Harry Potter series isn't quite up to the task, with serious failures that enable Voldemort's rise to power.
After Cornelius Fudge, Rufus Scrimgeour, and Pius Thicknesse, the series ends with Kingsley Shacklebolt becoming Minister — one with the right morals to navigate post-war life. Calm, controlled, and fair, he's everything a leader should be. But which other characters are fit for the position, and which ones would lead the country back into chaos?
Would: Minerva McGonagall
What makes Minerva McGonagall a great professor (and potentially an even better headteacher than Albus Dumbledore) is also exactly what would make her a great Minister For Magic. She's firm, but fair, with a strong moral compass. She doesn't hesitate to stand up to those who contradict that and abuse their power, as shown by her passionate defense of her students against Dolores Umbridge.
Most importantly, McGonagall is incredibly intelligent. Transfiguration is one of the most complex branches of magic, and McGonagall masters it to the extent of becoming an Animagus. Also — if the chess game she designed to protect the Sorcerer's Stone is anything to go by — she's a master of strategy.
Wouldn't: Sirius Black
Granted, Sirius spends a large portion of his life as either a prisoner or escaped felon, but he wouldn't have been a stellar Minister For Magic even if he hadn't been betrayed by Peter Pettigrew.
While Azkaban definitely makes Sirius more reckless, he's always been this way. He nearly killed Snape in a prank-gone-wrong as a teenager and thought nothing of hunting Peter down after James and Lily's deaths. This is all borne from strong emotions — with Sirius caring deeply for those he loves, and very little for those he does not — this kind of energy is dangerous in a leader.
Would: Ron Weasley
Admittedly, sometimes Ron Weasley doesn't show signs of being capable of running the Ministry For Magic. Hot-headed and insecure, he has a habit of speaking before he thinks (namely to Hermione) which often comes across as rude or insensitive.
But Ron matures a lot as he gets older. By the time he's old enough, he'd have developed his already admirable qualities enough to be capable of the position. He has strong principles, standing up to Pure-blood bigotry and attacking Malfoy for using slurs. He's incredibly brave, even confronting Voldemort upon Harry's supposed death in Deathly Hallows. Plus, he manages to outwit McGonagall's chess game at the age of 12 in Sorcerer's Stone, so his intelligence is promisingly sharp.
Wouldn't: Horace Slughorn
Horace Slughorn is a skilled potions master, so there's no questioning his intelligence. Unlike most Slytherins introduced in the series, he has strong moral values and uses his cunning for relatively good means. His skill for identifying burgeoning talent is obvious in his curation of the Slug Club.
However, as Dumbledore points out, he's never wanted to be the one in power. Instead, his ambitions lie with sitting parallel to these influential figures for his own gain. Also, when Dumbledore manages to recruit him, he's in hiding from the ongoing war with Voldemort. While he does participate in the Battle of Hogwarts, a fear of conflict doesn't really equal a strong Minister For Magic.
Would: Hermione Granger
Fans know from The Cursed Child that Hermione does eventually become Minister For Magic. However, the signs that she’d be perfect for the position were there from her first year at Hogwarts.
She’s a stickler for rules, but is willing to break them for the right cause (such as starting Dumbledore’s Army and saving Sirius from the Dementors). Her moral compass never wavers, and she’s passionate about social causes like the protection of House-elves despite what others think. Most importantly, she’s the brightest witch of her age — she knows how to put these ideas into action, and is the only reason Harry survives on multiple occasions. Quite the resume.
Wouldn't: Severus Snape
Logistically, Snape could never have become Minister For Magic. As a defected Death Eater, his background in dark magic and connection to Lord Voldemort poses too much of a risk — and it wouldn’t get him much support.
Personality-wise, he also isn’t a good fit. Snape is not the most personable of men. Snide and cruel, he uses the power he has at Hogwarts to bully children. It’s unlikely he’d use the power of Minister any better. He’s powerful and intelligent enough to make wise choices, but it’s doubtful they’d be the right ones for the wizarding community.
Would: Bill Weasley
Before Ron becomes one of the biggest faces in the war against Voldemort, Bill is the highest-flying Weasley child. He was a top student and Head Boy during his Hogwarts years, and goes on to become a curse-breaker for Gringotts — one of the hardest careers in Harry Potter, reserved only for the intelligent, innovative, and daring.
These are all useful qualities for a leader of a magical society, but what would really help Bill succeed is his personality. Harry himself frequently notes in the books just how cool and charismatic Bill is. He's consistently popular and, as a member of the Order of the Phoenix, knows a thing or two about fighting for the right cause.
Wouldn't: Remus Lupin
Remus does have several traits fitting of a Minister For Magic. He's intelligent, compassionate, and incredibly perceptive, picking up on moods and thoughts nobody else would, such as when Harry believes Remus thinks he's incapable of fighting Dementors.
These are all good traits in a politician, but they are offset by one thing — because he wants to be liked so badly, sometimes he can be cowardly. He never stood up to his friends when they bullied Snape, as he didn't want them to reject him. He also tries to abandon Tonks when she's pregnant because he can't handle even the idea of his family resenting passing on his curse. This could leave Remus too vulnerable as Minister.
Would: Harry Potter
For some fans, Harry Potter's career path doesn't really make sense. Instead of becoming an Auror, some think he would have chosen a quiet life, or become a Hogwarts professor. If he had so wished, he could also have become Minister For Magic.
Not only would he have massive public support and trust having defeated Lord Voldemort (multiple times), but Harry repeatedly proves that he is a strong leader. At the age of just 15 years old, he manages to train up a teenage army behind Umbridge's back. He's passionate, confident, and is always on the right side — and is willing to make great personal sacrifices to help others.
Wouldn't: Albus Dumbledore
Everything Albus Dumbledore does is for the greater good, but that doesn't always make it right. While it's open for debate whether he's truly a hero or villain, there's no denying that he ensured Harry was raised to die — which, considering he's the brightest mind of the era, he could definitely have found some magical way to avoid.
Admittedly, Dumbledore's tunnel vision for the prosperity of the wizarding world could be a good thing in a Minister For Magic. He's also pretty liberal in terms of his attitude towards magical creatures and Muggle-borns. However, he himself admits that he is not suited to that kind of power.