The Mandalorian Government Council, also referred to as the Ruling Council or the New Mandalorian ministry council, functioned as a group of ministers responsible for the administration of Mandalore during the period of the Clone Wars. This body was essentially a bureaucracy.
The New Mandalorian ministry council, more formally known as the Ruling Council, was the bureaucratic body that governed Mandalore for the New Mandalorian government. It was comprised of several ministers, a Deputy Minister, and was headed by the Prime Minister. Among the ministers were the Minister of the Interior, the Minister of Finance, and at least four other ministers, each tasked with specific political and administrative duties. The Ruling Council convened in the Grand Salon of the Sundari Royal Palace on Mandalore under the supervision of Duchess Satine Kryze.
During the Clone Wars, the Ruling Council played an active role, with Duchess Satine leading Mandalore under her New Mandalorian pacifist principles. Prime Minister Almec presided over the Ruling Council, and Deputy Minister Jerec served as a minister until his death. Following the declaration of neutrality in the Clone Wars between the Galactic Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems, the government faced an economic downturn. Trade routes became scarce, forcing some elements within the government to resort to corruption and the black market to maintain stability. It was during this period that Duchess Satine invited her friend Senator Padmé Amidala to Mandalore with the aim of easing tensions and assisting in the investigation of corruption.
Upon Amidala's arrival, she attended a meeting of the Ruling Council, where the ministers engaged in heated discussions regarding the economic challenges. When Senator Amidala suggested that the Galactic Republic could offer security, the ministers reacted negatively, asserting that the Republic's corruption was significantly worse than Mandalore's. Subsequently, Duchess Satine decided to adjourn the council and postpone the meeting to allow tensions to subside. Later, an investigation led by Jedi Padawan Ahsoka Tano and students from the Royal Academy of Government resulted in the arrest of Prime Minister Almec on charges of corruption.
After the Mandalorian terrorist group Death Watch joined the Shadow Collective, the syndicate initiated a scheme to depose Duchess Satine. Members of the Black Sun and Pyke Syndicate launched attacks on critical infrastructure essential to Mandalore's security. The Minister of Interior informed Duchess Satine and another minister about the initial attacks, also conveying the public's demand for government action.
Eventually, Death Watch apprehended the criminals and seemingly restored order to Mandalore, although this was part of the Shadow Collective's overall plan. This action garnered public support for Death Watch and its leader, Pre Vizsla, at the expense of Duchess Satine's New Mandalorian government, which ultimately enabled Vizsla to takeover Mandalore. The Minister of Interior and the other minister were present with the Duchess at the palace when Vizsla and Death Watch forces stormed the building and placed the Duchess under arrest.
Following the takeover of Mandalore, Death Watch imprisoned Duchess Satine in a cell adjacent to Almec. Subsequently, Pre Vizsla betrayed Maul and his Sith apprentice Savage Opress, although they soon managed to escape. While touring the royal prison, Maul and Opress encountered Duchess Satine's cell. When Maul inquired about the whereabouts of the other government leaders, she revealed that they had either been killed or had defected to Death Watch. Maul enlisted Almec to his cause and defeated Pre Vizsla in a lightsaber duel. After claiming Vizsla's Darksaber and assuming leadership of Death Watch, the Mandalorian group fractured into various factions, which ultimately triggered the Mandalorian Civil War.
The episode "Corruption" marked the first appearance of the Ruling Council.