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Iraq: Stalemate continues over finalizing government formation | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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Haider Al-Abadi attends the parliament session to submit his government at the parliament headquarters in Baghdad, Iraq, on September 8, 2014. (Reuters/Thaier Al-Sudani)


Haider Al-Abadi attends the parliament session to submit his government at the parliament headquarters in Baghdad, Iraq, on September 8, 2014. (Reuters/Thaier Al-Sudani)

Haider Al-Abadi attends the parliament session to submit his government at the parliament headquarters in Baghdad, Iraq, on September 8, 2014. (Reuters/Thaier Al-Sudani)

Baghdad, Asharq Al-Awsat—Iraq’s main political camps remain unable to agree on candidates for two key ministerial positions, dashing hopes that government line-up could be finalized ahead of Eid Al-Adha.

Iraqi parliamentary rapporteur Niyazi Uglu said on Thursday that the parliament will not be able to convene to name candidates for the interior and defense ministries, without explaining why.

Earlier this week, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi announced he would discuss with the Speaker of the Parliament Salim Al-Jubouri the possibility of holding a parliamentary session before Eid Al-Adha to vote on candidates for the remaining ministerial portfolios.

The Shi’ite-majority National Alliance debated on Thursday a special mechanism for choosing a candidate for the defense ministry, a source who spoke on the condition of anonymity told Asharq Al-Awsat.

He said: “The content of the mechanism suggests that Abadi puts forward a group of candidates to the National Alliance to vote on and the one with the most votes becomes the alliance’s candidate for the ministry.”

Meanwhile, there were contradicting reports about whether former Iraqi Minister of Finance Rafie Al-Issawi will stand as the Sunni-majority Iraqi Forces Alliance’s candidate for the interior ministry.

Issawi served as the country’s finance minister under former Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki between 2010 and 2013 before he was sacked over corruption and terror charges.

Speaking exclusively to Asharq Al-Awsat senior Iraqi Forces Alliance MP Mohamed Al-Khalidi denied the reports, maintaining that his alliance remains torn between Khaled Al-Obaidi and Jaber Al-Jabri for the interior portfolio.

“Fabricated remarks about nominating Issawi were falsely attributed to Muttahidoun Bloc leader Osama Nujaifi [who] asked me to inform the media about his denial,” he said.

However, another Iraqi Forces Alliance MP Raad Al-Dahlaki told Asharq Al-Awsat Issawi remains “one of the most prominent names put forward,” maintaining that all charges against him will be dropped.