Ministerial reshuffle: “non-serious” talk dependent on “appeasement”

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[size=52]Ministerial reshuffle: “non-serious” talk dependent on “appeasement”[/size]

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2024-09-09
Baghdad
Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has once again talked about the ministerial reshuffle that he had previously promised, but he linked it to the election of a new parliament speaker. However, political observers have doubted his ability to achieve this file, in addition to the existence of political obstacles that prevent its implementation.[/size]
[size=45]Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani stressed in a speech yesterday, Sunday, the importance of resolving the entitlement to the presidency of the House of Representatives, confirming that his government is awaiting this step in order to “approve the ministerial amendment based on an evaluation of the ministers’ performance.”[/size]
[size=45]In this regard, MP Zahra Al-Bajjari said, during a conversation, that “Al-Sudani promised to make changes to his government cabinet, but he did not move towards this file.”[/size]
[size=45]Al-Bujari added, “There are signatures inside the House of Representatives to question some ministers, including the Minister of Communications, Hiyam Al-Yasiri,” noting that “the issue of changing the cabinet will depend on the results of the parliamentary interrogations and the conviction of the answers that will be provided.”[/size]
[size=45]She added, "There are many ministries in which there has been a defect in their work, and for this reason there is a move to activate the interrogation process."[/size]
[size=45]Al-Sudani had confirmed, during a televised interview earlier, that there was a direct and frank discussion with the ministers regarding the evaluation of their work, as he explained that the constitution grants the prime minister the authority to dismiss the negligent minister: “We are determined to carry out a ministerial reshuffle and we will choose the appropriate time, and I will not give up my constitutional powers to carry out the ministerial reshuffle,” according to his statement.[/size]
[size=45]It is noteworthy that Al-Sudani assumed his position after the formation of the State Administration Coalition, led by the Coordination Framework. His cabinet included ministers belonging to different political blocs, some of whom are leaders of political blocs, according to the quota system in place in the country, which depends on the weight of each parliamentary bloc and on the basis of which ministerial portfolios are granted.[/size]
[size=45]In this context, political analyst Athir Al-Sharaa, during an interview with “Al-Alam Al-Jadeed”, explained that “no Prime Minister can change a minister affiliated with a bloc or party, unless an agreement is reached with it regarding the electoral gains and entitlements and the conditions for supporting this government.”[/size]
[size=45]Al-Sharaa added, “Many ministries are economic shops for political parties and blocs working to prepare the requirements for the upcoming elections,” adding that “the Prime Minister has the will to change some ministers, but he is facing threats to withdraw the position despite the support of some parties.”[/size]
[size=45]He stressed that “the Prime Minister can reach an understanding with more than 50 MPs inside the parliament to dismiss some of the slacking ministers, but the critical circumstances and fears of escalation stand against the dismissal attempts, and there is also an intention to save face for some parties to dismiss their ministers who have been proven or will be proven to have dealt with those convicted of the theft of the century or signed investment contracts tainted with corruption,” explaining that “the parliament will host some ministers for questioning and some of them will lose their positions, starting a new crisis that may force everyone to go to early elections and dissolve the parliament.”[/size]
[size=45]It is noteworthy that the most prominent ministerial reshuffle witnessed by the Iraqi governments was that carried out by former Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi in mid-2016, after demonstrations and the storming of parliament by followers of the Sadrist movement, and the sit-in of its leader, Muqtada al-Sadr, in a tent in front of the Green Zone at the time.[/size]
[size=45]In addition, political analyst Ali Al-Tawil explained, during an interview with “Al-Alam Al-Jadeed”, that “some ministers are affiliated with political blocs and parties, and these blocs see the ministries as their sole property, and provide protection to their ministers even if they are corrupt and dishonest.”[/size]
[size=45]Al-Tawil points out that “the issue of ministerial reshuffle is not without internal and external pressures, and we are accustomed in the Iraqi political process to appeasement in order to facilitate the government’s affairs without obstacles, by satisfying the influential parties.”[/size]
[size=45]It is worth noting that the State Administration Coalition, when it was formed, witnessed the signing of a document between the Coordination Framework and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan on the one hand, and the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Sovereignty Alliance on the other hand, which included the demands of the latter two parties, for the purpose of implementing them by the government formed by the framework, for the purpose of passing them, which is what happened last October, when the government of Mohammed Shia al-Sudani passed based on this document.[/size]
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