ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Disputes over ministerial portfolios within Iraq’s ruling Shiite Coordination Framework are the main reason behind delays to the parliamentary vote on the new cabinet, two senior alliance members told Rudaw on Monday, pointing to the oil minister and deputy prime minister posts as among the key points of contention.
“Disagreements over the allocation of ministerial posts within the Coordination Framework are behind the postponement of parliament’s session to vote on the cabinet,” Aqeel al-Rudaini, spokesperson for the Victory Coalition led by former prime minister Haider al-Abadi (2014 - 2018), said.
He added that “the disputes center on the position of deputy prime minister, sovereign ministries, and the distribution of points used to secure those posts.”
Of note, sovereign ministries in Iraq include defense, finance, foreign affairs, interior, and oil.
According to Rudaini, “one of the main disputes revolves around the oil ministry,” traditionally allocated to Shiite parties.
The latter post is being contested by the Hikmah Movement led by Shiite cleric and politician Ammar al-Hakim, the Reconstruction and Development Coalition (RDC) headed by outgoing Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani, and the State of Law Coalition led by former Iraqi premier Nouri al-Maliki (2006 - 2014).
Meanwhile, Ahmed al-Issawi, a senior member of the Hikmah Movement, told Rudaw on Monday that while “there are understandings regarding the positions, further dialogue is still needed.”
He added that “one of the issues delaying government formation is the position of deputy prime minister allocated to the Shiite component,” noting that “this position is disputed between the al-Asas Alliance and the Sadiqoon Movement.”
The al-Asas Alliance is a new political formation led by Mohsen al-Mandalawi, who served as acting speaker of the Iraqi parliament (2023 - 2024). Meanwhile, the Sadiqoon Movement is led by Shiite cleric and politician Qais al-Khazali, head of the Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq armed group.
Meanwhile, Rudaw has learned that the Coordination Framework has agreed to allocate the interior ministry to the Badr Organization, led by Hadi al-Ameri, while an agreement has yet to be reached on who will head the finance ministry.
The divisions within the Coordination Framework come despite remarks by Safwan al-Jarjari, secretary-general of the Iraqi parliament, who said on Saturday that the legislature “has completed all preparations related to holding the session to vote on the new ministerial cabinet,” according to the state-run Iraqi News Agency (INA).
“We are awaiting the parliament presidency to determine the date of the session, whether on Monday or Tuesday,” he added.
The remarks came after Iraqi Prime Minister-designate Ali al-Zaidi on Thursday submitted the government program to Parliament Speaker Haibat al-Halbousi, with INA reporting that “the program will be circulated among members of parliament for review and examination of its details, while the names of the cabinet lineup will be submitted at a later date.”
However, both Issawi and Rudaini suggested on Monday that the anticipated parliamentary session to vote on the new cabinet would likely be postponed until Thursday or the beginning of next week.