snip~ Power of the Purse - An outgoing member of the parliament’s finance committee identified the Ministry of Finance as a key check on the prime minister’s power, explaining that while the Ministry of Oil generates the money in Iraq, it is the Ministry of Finance that controls how it is spent. Under Iraqi law, approval from the Finance Ministry is required before funds can be released; meaning it can block most projects and investments, even those originating from the Prime Minister ...
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Summary - Iraq: In Baghdad, the focus of the government formation process is almost entirely on one position, prime minister, and largely on one man, incumbent Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki.
The institution of Iraq’s prime minister has evolved since the previous national government was formed in 2006. The success of incumbent Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki in building an independent power base around the office and the diminishing U.S. presence in Iraq have transformed the perception and stature of Iraq’s chief executive.
This evolution of the position helps to explain why negotiations over the government’s formation have struggled to move beyond the top post to discuss other assignments and the new government’s agenda. The talks are not just about agreeing on a prime minister in the context of inconclusive, close election results, and competing regional influences; these talks are trying to define the role of the premiership and possible checks on its power.
Understanding the debate on possible checks and balances is important because of its potential ramifications for Iraq’s democratic experiment, and also because agreement on this issue might pave the way for the nomination of a prime minister.
The Premiership In Baghdad, the focus of the government formation process is almost entirely on one position, prime minister, and largely on one man, incumbent Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki.
While the role of neighboring countries and the perceived declining U.S. interest get substantial attention, it is Maliki—the relatively unknown compromise candidate from 2006—who now plays the lead role in this transition as the most independent, ambitious and unpredictable actor on the scene.
Win or lose, Maliki serves as a lightning rod for a growing debate on the role of Iraq’s chief executive that could leave a major imprint on Iraq’s system of government.
It is well known that Maliki’s success since 2006 in building an independent power base as prime minister is a common concern among his rivals in the secular and Sunni Iraqiya bloc, the Shiite Iraqi National Alliance (INA) and the Kurdistan Alliance.
What is less appreciated is that the ongoing U.S. military drawdown also increases the authority of the premiership, particularly its commander in chief role. The nature of the office has clearly evolved from four years ago, when tapping an assumedly weak compromise figure to be the prime minister was largely acceptable.
It is this transformation that helps to explain why Iraqis are now struggling to move beyond the top position to discuss other posts and the new government’s program. The negotiations this time are not just about finding a mutually acceptable prime minister, but also the powers of the office itself.
read full article/pdf @
http://www.usip.org/files/resources/PB39Kane.pdf
http://www.usip.org/building/groundbreaking.html
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