The parties agreed on a process whereby a negotiated transitional constitution would provide for an elected constitutional assembly to draw up a permanent constitution.

The 1954 Constitution was intended to be a transitional constitution, to be revised after China developed into a socialist economy.

The current constitution was adopted following a national referendum in 2003, replacing the transitional constitution which had been in place since 1994.

The transitional constitution was still in effect which meant the president was elected by government ministers and the national assembly rather than through a direct election.

The 2003 transitional constitution established a system composed of a bicameral legislature with a Senate and a National Assembly.

It had concurrent authority, however, with the transitional constitution until the inauguration of the elected officials who emerged from the July 2006 elections.

A transitional constitution was then promulgated in April 1994.

The transitional constitution made way for an anticipated federal Somalia.

In 2001, a transitional constitution was adopted, and Buyoya became president of a transitional government.

He contrasted it with the South African process, which grew out of that nation's transitional constitution.