The Iraqi Transitional Government was the government of Iraq from May 3, 2005, when it replaced the Iraqi Interim Government, until May 20, 2006, when it was replaced by the first permanent government.
On April 28 it was approved by the transitional Iraqi National Assembly, which had been elected in January 2005. It operated under the Law of Administration for the State of Iraq for the Transitional Period, and its main functions were to draft a permanent Constitution of Iraq and to form a transitional government.
Although the President is the chief of military and head of state, the Prime Minister is the head of government who exercises most executive powers. The President and both deputies (collective the Presidency Council of Iraq) are elected by the Assembly with a two-thirds majority. They then propose the Prime Minister from the largest party, who must also be approved with a two-thirds majority; the Prime Minister then proposes the Council of Ministers, who must be approved with a two-thirds majority.
The current Council of Ministers was sworn in on May 3 but several key posts were left vacant. Six new ministers were approved to fill vacant positions on 8 May, one of whom rejected his position saying he had not been consulted.