Iraq: Abdul Mahdi Accelerates Government Formation Process

The Iraqi prime minister, Adel Abdul Mahdi, intends to scale down the period granted to him by the constitution to form a government and gain the parliament's vote of confidence, a reliable source in Baghdad told Asharq Al Awsat newspaper.

The source, who preferred to remain anonymous, said that Abdul Mahdi and his team are prepared to finalize the government line-up and present it to the parliament by Oct. 24.

The PM-designate has started to receive names of candidates from some blocs and will be receiving others within the coming few days, the source added.

When asked whether Abdul Mahdi would benefit from those who applied for ministerial positions through the e-portal, he replied that the assigned PM killed two birds with one stone by putting pressure on political blocs to submit the names of candidates to avoid choosing from names on the e-portal.

First Deputy Speaker Hassan al-Kaabi said that the parliament will be a key support for the new government as long as it serves the best interest of the Iraqi people and fulfills their needs. He added that the coming stage will witness high coordination between the legislative and executive authorities to approve laws and make important decisions.

Iraqi Forces Alliance MP Mohammed al-Karbouli told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Sunnis have not submitted any candidates for ministerial posts, noting that a meeting would be held within a few days with Abdul Mahdi pending an agreement on mechanisms for the announcement of ministerial candidacies.

In the same context, a political science professor at the University of Baghdad, Dr. Khaled Abdulilah, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the steps taken by the PM-designate, including having an office in the parliament and opening the green-zone, are significant in terms of bridging the gap between politicians and citizens.

Article Credit: https://aawsat.com/
Special Thanks to Charles Bright!!