Iraq’s new cabinet: more of the same
Iraq’s Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi formed a new government on Thursday, five months after a nationwide parliamentary election.
Critics, however, say the presence of militia-affiliated politicians in the Cabinet suggests he fell short of promises to run a technocratic government stocked with fresh faces.
Mr Abdul Mahdi was sworn in as prime minister of Iraq after parliament accepted 14 of his 22 nominations, giving him enough ministers to convene his government.
“Parliament has made great effort to form the new government within the constitutional time frame to fulfil its commitments in approving a new cabinet, the 14 ministers were sworn in,” Mohammed Al Halbousi, parliamentary speaker, said.
But key posts such as ministers of defence, justice and interior are yet to be agreed on.
Mr Abdul Mahdi had promised to instal a government of technocrats to reform the country’s ailing public sector.
Only 220 legislators attended the session, leaving more than 100 seats empty in the 329-seat body. Among the 14 ministers who were sworn in, Thamer Ghadhban became oil minister and veteran Kurdish politician Fuad Hussein finance minister.
Mr Ghadhban replaced Jabar Al Luaibi, who was recently made head of the new National Oil Company. He helped to resuscitate a flagging oil industry after the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq that toppled former dictator Saddam Hussein.
He was interim oil minister from 2004 to 2005 and a former energy adviser to former prime minister Haider Al Abadi.
The electricity minister, Luay Al Khateeb, is the executive
director of an energy policy institute, the Iraq Energy Institute. Mohammed Ali Al Hakim became the new foreign minister, after previously serving as Iraq’s permanent representative to the United Nations.
None of the appointments is thought to have come from an online application portal launched by Mr Abdul Mahdi to bring new faces into government. His office received more than 15,000 applications in less than a week after the website went live.
The average age of the 22 nominated ministers is 53.
The youngest, Asma Al Kaldani, 35, was nominated for the post of justice minister. Mr Ghadhban, the new oil minister, is the oldest at 73.
Eight ministerial nominations were vetoed by politicians from populist cleric Moqtada Al Sadr’s bloc Sairoon, former prime minister Haider Al Abadi’s Nasr Alliance, outgoing vice president Ayad Allawi’s Wataniya party, and various Sunni Muslim blocs, who all left the chamber before voting could take place.
“We decided to withdraw from the session, because we are not satisfied with the rest of the cabinet candidates,” said Nasr politician Ali Sined.
Mr Abdul Mahdi had vowed to appoint a cabinet of politicians free of conflicts of duty and ties to militias. But some of his nominations suggest powerful militias retain influence to propose ministers.
His nomination for interior ministry, Falih Al Fayadh, was formerly chairman of the Popular Mobilisation Forces, a group of militias, many of which are close to Iran.
Politician Mushriq Al Naji said the walk-out was over the nomination of ministers with records of disappointing performance in government.
“Falih Al Fayadh lacks experience, he has made no achievements and is considered unsuccessful by many politicians,” Mr Al Naji said.
Nominations for justice, culture and education ministers were also disputed. A vote on the remaining ministries will take place on November 6.