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 January 15, 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 November 26, 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 December 20, 1918. The deposed King Nikola I continued to appoint prime ministers of Montenegro in exile until his death in 1921.