The first modern Montenegrin government was established on 20 March 1879, during the
Principality of Montenegro. The title of the head of government was President of the Ministerial Council (
Предсједник Министарског савјета). On 28 August 1910, Montenegro was proclaimed a
kingdom. During both the principality and the kingdom, the office was of no major importance or influence but depended solely on the will of the sovereign
Nikola I. After the capitulation of Montenegro to the
Central Powers on 15 January 1916, during
World War I, the government went into exile and remained abroad until it ceased to exist. After the decision of the
Podgorica Assembly on 26 November 1918, to unify Montenegro with
Serbia and the subsequent formation of the
Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes,
Stojan Protić became the
prime minister of the newly formed Kingdom on 20 December 1918. The deposed King Nikola I continued to appoint prime ministers of Montenegro in exile until his death in 1921. The government of Montenegro in exile ceased to exist the next year. Under the
communist regime, Montenegro obtained its own government on 7 March 1945. On that day, a ministry for Montenegro was created within the government of Yugoslavia (as for all the other five republics), with a minister for Montenegro in charge of creating the first real government of post-war Montenegro, which took place on 17 April 1945. Governments were headed by a prime minister until 4 February 1953, by a president of the Executive Council until 15 January 1991, and again by a prime minister since then. ==List of prime ministers==