Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s government should include 23 ministers, but its line-up remains incomplete as key political parties continue to negotiate several portfolios. [Getty]
Iraq’s new Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi was sworn in on Thursday with only a partial cabinet after lawmakers failed to reach a consensus on key postings, including interior and defence.
Basim Mohammed was appointed as the country’s new oil minister while Fuad Hussein was kept on as the foreign minister in the new government, lawmakers told news agency Reuters.
Parliament approved 14 ministers in the new government but failed to reach consensus on several remaining posts, including the interior and defence portfolios.
The session witnessed heated exchanges among lawmakers after some objected to the approval of the nominee for interior minister, lawmakers said.
“Parliament approved 14 ministries, while nine ministries remain pending. Three of them failed to win parliament’s confidence today”, MP Muqdad al-Khafaji told Reuters.
On May 1, U.S. President Donald Trump voiced strong support for Zaidi in a call, after the Iraqi alliance of Shi’ite political blocs, the Coordination Framework, in April named Zaidi as its nominee for the prime minister, giving him 30 days to form a government.
Zaidi, in his 40s, is an Iraqi multimillionaire with interests spanning several sectors, including banking and the supply of Iraq’s vast government food basket programme that serves millions of people.
The new premier will face major challenges, including disarming Iran-backed militias, tackling entrenched corruption and balancing ties between Washington and Tehran.
