Tuesday new target for Iraqi parliament vote on new cabinet

Tue, 21 Dec 2010

Baghdad - Iraqi parliament is scheduled to vote on Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's new government on Tuesday, after disagreements delayed the vote for one day.

Al-Maliki's government, which consists of 42 ministerial posts, will be divided among the main factions according to the seats those groups won in the March 7 elections.

The vote was scheduled for Monday after al-Maliki filed an official request to parliamentary speaker Osama al-Nujaifi to present his cabinet.

Yet persisting disagreement between the different parties led lawmakers to suggest that the announcement of the new cabinet be postponed. Some believe another postponement until Wednesday is in the cards.

On Monday, al-Maliki presented the ministers' names to al-Nujaifi. Reports suggest the list leaves some ministers in place, including veteran Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari, who has been in office since the 2003 US-led invasion.

According to the constitution, al-Maliki has until Friday to establish an inclusive cabinet without jeopardizing the delicate political deals which enabled the first parliamentary vote.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/359118,parliament-vote-new-cabinet.html.