Iraq: Political Quotas Hinder Distribution of Portfolios in Kadhimi’s Govt.
Arab World
Baghdad - Asharq Al-Awsat
Iraq’s Prime Minister-designate Mustafa al-Kadhimi is silently holding talks with political blocs, refraining from following the steps of his predecessors, Mohammed Tawfiq Allawi and Adnan al-Zurfi, who conducted official public meetings with local and foreign political parties. Kadhimi also ordered his team not to make news briefings or issue any statements. All the positions and statements that have been made are those taken by political blocs who express different stances according to the ministerial positions they obtain. Iraq’s Kurds are the only components that haven’t yet made any negative statements against Kadhimi. Many parties says there's conspiracy behind the Kurdish silence. Shiites, precisely, suspect that Kadhimi and Kurds have agreed to keep the current Finance Minister Fuad Hussein in office, which is rejected by most of the Shiite forces. Meanwhile, differences between Turkmen and Christians, who are minorities in the country, have also emerged. For their part, Kurds are refusing to grant the Immigration portfolio to another party within the Christian component. Both components’ representation is mostly marginal, granted a minor portfolio at times, such as the Ministry of Displacement and Migration which was assigned to Christians in Abdul Mahdi’s government. While in Kadhimi’s government, the Ministry of State for Women’s Affairs was created to be headed by Turkmen, who were not represented in Abdul Mahdi’s government. Turkmen, whose differences are often sectarian, have unified their stance this time. Deputy Head of the Turkmen Front MP Hassan Turan told Asharq Al-Awsat that they reject this weak representation. He said Turkmen reject the figure chosen for the post, stressing that they had no say over the matter and their opinion was not taken into consideration. Turan also complained that Turkmen are always given a state ministry, describing this act as a marginalization policy. “If the cabinet was passed by the parliament, major issues will be discussed concerning our regions, such as Kirkuk,” he said, noting that a weak representation won't serve their interests.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://aawsat.com/english/home/article/2253411/iraq-political-quotas-hinder-distribution-portfolios-kadhimi%E2%80%99s-govt
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