November 23, 2010
Emerging Plan for Shape of New Government in Iraq
While Nouri al-Maliki will be officially designated on November 25 to form a new government for Iraq, discussions among the various political groups are intensifying regarding the allocation of the ministerial positions among and within them.
According to the Iraqi government daily al-Sabah, the emerging plan is to allocate 18 ministries to the National Alliance (al-Maliki, al-Sadr, and al-Hakim), nine ministries to al-Iraqiya (Ayad Allawi and the Sunnis), seven ministries to the Kurdish Alliance (Barazani/Talabani) and one ministry to the Christians.
There will be a number of ministers without portfolio, and there are hints of increasing the number of prime ministerial deputies and various ministers to satisfy the demand for high government posts with their generous emoluments by the various groups within the major blocs.
(Given the fractious nature of the political groups in Iraq, a new government is not likely to emerge before the end of the year. The speaker of parliament has announced that each member of the government will be voted on separately, which could further prolong the process and the bargaining).
Emerging Plan for Shape of New Government in Iraq
While Nouri al-Maliki will be officially designated on November 25 to form a new government for Iraq, discussions among the various political groups are intensifying regarding the allocation of the ministerial positions among and within them.
According to the Iraqi government daily al-Sabah, the emerging plan is to allocate 18 ministries to the National Alliance (al-Maliki, al-Sadr, and al-Hakim), nine ministries to al-Iraqiya (Ayad Allawi and the Sunnis), seven ministries to the Kurdish Alliance (Barazani/Talabani) and one ministry to the Christians.
There will be a number of ministers without portfolio, and there are hints of increasing the number of prime ministerial deputies and various ministers to satisfy the demand for high government posts with their generous emoluments by the various groups within the major blocs.
(Given the fractious nature of the political groups in Iraq, a new government is not likely to emerge before the end of the year. The speaker of parliament has announced that each member of the government will be voted on separately, which could further prolong the process and the bargaining).
