Transylvania's government was the Ruling Council, a body appointed by the Great Council on 2 December 1918, which was elected by the National Assembly from Alba Iulia. The President of the Directing Council was Iuliu Maniu. Both the headquarters of the Grand Council (Transylvania's Legislative Assembly) and the Ruling Council (Transylvania's government) were established in Sibiu.

The Ruling Council operated on sectors (Ministries) and included 15 members (10 members of the Romanian National Party, two from the Social Democratic Party of Transylvania and 3 independent) as follows:

- Iuliu Maniu (PNR), presiding minister and minister for internal affairs
- Aurel Vlad (PNR), finances
- Vasile Goldis (PNR), religion and public instruction resort, located on 7 Tribunei Street; he was followed by Valeriu Braniste who inaugurated the opening of "Dacia Superior" University in Cluj, later becoming "King Ferdinand" University and today's "Babes-Bolyai"
- Aurel Lazar (PNR), justice (headquartered in the Palace of Justice)
- Ioan Suciu (PNR) organization resort, located in 13 Dealului Street
- Joseph Jumanca (PSDTB), industry resort and agriculture resort, located in the School of Cadets on Avrig Street
- Romul Boila (PNR), power and communication resort (located in the Palace of Justice)
- Emil Hatieganu (PNR), data encryption resort, located in the Palace of Justice
- Ion Flueras (PSDTB), social welfare resort, located in 12 Independentei Street (CFR hospital), which established the first outpatient polyclinic in 5 Piata Armelor (Weapons' Square), which provided advice and free medical care to underprivileged population
- Victor Bontescu (indep.), trade and agriculture
- Basil Lucaciu (indep.) without portfolio, with external missions
- Octavian Goga (indep.) without portfolio
- Valeriu Braniste (PNR) without portfolio

The Recognition of the Ruling Council

On December 24, 1918 King Ferdinand I of Romania issued the "Decree of Union of Transylvania with Old Romania". Public services remained in the competence of the Ruling Council, while foreign affairs, military, finances, customs, public lending, and the general state security moved under the competence of the central government in Bucharest. Transylvania was to be represented in the central government by the Minister without portfolio for each area where regional government lost its jurisdiction in favor of the central government.

Achievements

On January 25, 1919, the Ruling Council began the administrative reorganization of the intra-Carpathian territories united with Romania and by divided them into 23 counties. The Ruling Council appointed prefects in all these 23 counties, as well as three more prefects next to the mayors of Arad, Cluj and Sibiu.

Dissolution of Ruling Council

Despite the Transylvanian Romanian leaders' desire to preserve some level of autonomy in Transylvania inside the Romanian Kingdom, the Ruling Council was dissolved by the authorities in Bucharest on April 4, 1920. This decision came following the Peace Conference in Paris where Transylvania's annexation to the Romanian Kingdom became irreversible, thus enabling the authorities in Bucharest to stop granting any concessions to the Transylvanian Romanians.