The Council of Ministers (, CdM) is the principal executive organ of the Government of Italy. It comprises the President of the Council (the Prime Minister of Italy), all the ministers, and the undersecretary to the President of the council. Deputy ministers () and junior ministers () are part of the government, but are not members of the Council of Ministers. History The Council of Ministers' origins date to the production of the Albertine Statute by the Kingdom of Sardinia in 1848. The Statute, which subsequently became the Constitution of the Kingdom of Italy, did not envision collegial meetings of individual ministers, but simply the existence of ministers as heads of their ministries, responsible for their operations. The Council of Ministers subsequently developed as a constitutional convention and the office of the President of the Council emerged from the need to co-ordinate the activities of the individual ministers. Formation Appointment The Office of the Council of Ministers is regulated by the Constitution and consists of: The President of the Council of Ministers (usually referred to as Prime Minister), who is the chair of the council and is appointed by the President of Italy after post-elections consultations with the leaders of parliamentary groups, the Presidents of the Senate and Chamber of Deputies, and former Presidents of the Republic. The prime minister is confirmed by a motion of confidence (nominal voting) of both Houses of Parliament no later than 10 days following the swearing of Government as per the Constitution; Should either House not pass the aforementioned motion, the Prime Minister has a constitutional duty to resign to allow the President either to find a new majority for the support of another appointed Prime Minister or to call for new elections; The Ministers, appointed by the President of Italy, but on the request of the Prime Minister; As the per Constitution, the President has the power to question the choice of a minister, should there be grounds to call it into question. Until an agreement has been found, the head of the Ministry in question will not be appointed. All powers of the Council of Ministers rest in the hands of the President of the Republic until the ministers assume their offices. Oath After the President of the Republic signs the appointment decrees, but before being able to exercise their functions, the Prime Minister and the Ministers must take an oath of