1 Yr After Elections Iraq Finally Has A New Govt

(Al Monitor)

One year after voting Iraq finally selected a new government. On October 13 parliament elected former Water Minister Abdul Latif Rashid of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) president. This had been one of the main roadblocks because originally the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) wanted to take the position which has been held by the PUK since 2005. They finally made a deal where the PUK would put forward a new candidate Rashid and the KDP would back him.

 

Latif then asked Mohammed al-Sudani from Dawa to be the next prime minister and form his cabinet. Sudani was the former governor of Maysan and held various ministries such as Human Rights and Labor. Sudani was promoted by State of Law head Nouri al-Maliki. This was a huge victory for him because although he didn’t get to return to office he was instrumental in selecting the PM and will expect him to do his bidding.

 

On October 27 Sudani’s cabinet was approved by the Iraqi assembly. Not all the positions were filled however. The most important ministries were split between the Coordination Framework and Speaker Mohammed al-Halbusi’s Azm Alliance. The latter got the Defense Ministry, while the Oil Ministry went to State of Law, Electricity to Fadhila, and Interior to Badr. Also of note Asaib Ahl Al-Haq’s party received the Higher Education Ministry. That will help the group expand its power and patronage within the bureaucracy.

 

Unexpectedly Moqtada al-Sadr didn’t go to the streets to try to block this process. After he withdrew his parliamentarians he lost any hope of shaping the next administration. He has threatened protests and fought with Asaib Ahl Al-Haq but on October 27 he was quiet. It appears he is re-evaluating his next move since his dreams of controlling Baghdad have gone up in flames due to his own missteps.

 

On the other hand, the future of Prime Minister Sudani is now in question. The last two premiers were disasters. Adil Abdul Mahdi turned to Iran and violence to put down protests leading to the deaths of hundreds which eventually forced him to resign. Mustafa al-Kazemi was selected as an interim PM and did little to nothing. He failed at several confrontations with pro-Iran Hashd, didn’t protect the demonstrators as he promised, and couldn’t push through any meaningful reforms as the economy fell into crisis due to COVID and a collapse in the oil market. Neither Abdul Mahdi nor Kazemi had a party base which cost them and that’s the same situation Sudani could be facing. Although he is a member of Dawa it is split between Maliki and Haidar al-Abadi factions. Maliki will expect Sudani to follow his lead but if he doesn’t he will have to rely on others. That will hinder his independence. Unless he turns out to be a master politician able to play off one faction against another he will be another weak leader.

 

SOURCES

 

Iraq Oil Report, “UPDATE: Hayan Abdulghani confirmed to lead Oil Ministry as Sudan takes power,” 10/27/22

 

Iraq Qahwa, “4. Mr. Hayan Abdul Ghani Abdul-Zahra Al-Sawad, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Oil [State of Law Coalition] 5. Mrs. Taif Sami Mohammed Al-Shakarji, Minister of Finance. 6. Mr. Thabet Mohammed Said Reda Al-Abbasi, Minister of Defense [Azm Alliance] 7. Mr. Abdul Amir,” 10/27/22

- “10. Mr. Atheer Dawood Salman Al-Ghurairi, Minister of Commerce [Azim Alliance] 11. Mr. Khaled Salam Said Shawn, Minister of Justice [Patriotic Union of Kurdistan]12. Mr. Ziyad Ali Fadel Al-Razeej, Minister of Electricity [Virtue Party]13. Mr. Abbas Jabr Ubadah Al-Alawi,” 10/27/22

- “16. Mr. Razzaq Muhaibes Ajami Al-Saadawi, Minister of Transport [Badr Organization] 17. Mrs. Hiam About Kadhim Al-Yasiri, Minister of Communications [State of Law Coalition]18. Mr. Aoun Diab Abdullah as Minister of Water resources [unknown affiliation],” 10/27/22

- “19. Ahmed Jassim Sayer Al-Asadi, Minister of Labor and Social Affairs [Al-Fateh Alliance] 20. Mrs. Evan Faeq Yabouq Jabro, Minister of Immigration and Displacement [Babylon Movement]21. Ahmed Mohammed Hussain Qassem Al-Mubarqa’, Minister of Youth and Sports [State of Law Coalition],” 10/27/22

- “22. Mr. Ahmed Fakkak Ahmed Badarni, Minister of Culture, Tourism, and Antiquities [Al-Siyada Alliance],” 10/27/22

- “Kamel Al-Shammari, Minister of Interior [likely with nod of approval from Bar Organization]8. Mr. Saleh Mahdi Mutalib Al-Hasnawi, Minister of Health [Badr Organization] 9Mr. Khaled Batt Al Najm Abdullah Al-Jaghifi, Minister of Industry and Minerals [Former Minister of Planning],” 10/27/22

- “Minister of Agriculture [State of Law Coalition] 14. Mr. Naim Abed Yasser Al-Aboudi, Minister of Higher Education [Asa’ib Ahl Al-Haq political wing, Sadiqoun]15. Mr. Ibrahim Namis Yassin Must Al-Jubouri, Minister of Education [Al-Siyada Alliance],” 10/27/22

- “Ministerial Cabinet: 1. Mr. Mohammed Shia’ Al-Sudani, Prime Minister 2. Mr. Fouad Mohammad Hussein, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs [Kurdistan Democratic Party] 3. Mr. Mohammed Ali Tamim, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Planning [Al-Siyada Alliance]” 10/27/22

 

Al Mada, “The ambition is receding: We will be satisfied even with half of the Sudani cabinet on Saturday,” 10/19/22

- “Frameworkers use the government to keep opponents away from jobs .. and criticize ministers with suspicious testimonies,” 10/29/22

 

Al Masalah, “Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani receives his letter of assignment to form the government,” 10/13/22

 

Al Monitor, “Iraq’s parliament votes to approve new PM, government,” 10/27/22

 

NRT, “Sudani Prepares List of Candidates For New Cabinet,” 10/27/22

- “Who Is Dr. Abdul Latif Rashid?” 10/13/22