Parliament adjourns voting on cabinet to Thursday for lack of quorum

The Iraqi House of Representatives has postponed its session to vote on the final lineup of Prime Minister Adil Abdul Mahdi’s government to the next Thursday for lack of quorum, which prevents from voting, while sources reported quarrels between MPs outside the voting hall on Tuesday.

Four political blocs have boycotted the parliament’s voting session objecting to the nominations of Abdul Mahdi for the left unoccupied eight ministerial portfolios, a source told The Baghdad Post.

The blocs announced their boycott are Sairoon Alliance, The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), and the Victory Alliance, while the Patriotic Axis Alliance announced its boycott objecting to the nominee of the Defense Ministry.

The ministers chosen are Faleh al-Fayadh for minister of interior, Faisal al-Jarba for defense minister, and Saba al-Tai for minister of education.

The remaining nominations include Nouri al-Karbouli for minister of planning, Abdul Amir al-Hamdani for minister of culture, Qusay al-Suhail for minister of higher education, Dara Noureddine for minister of justice, and Hala Korkis for minister of migration and displaced.

This comes following weeks of disputes between the political blocs over the vacant ministerial posts. Fayadh has been one of the most controversial candidates, with Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr and the Saairun Alliance having been adamantly opposed to his nomination.

Source: Thebaghdadpost.com