Abadi postpones completion of cabinet reshuffle till next week

Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar Al-Abadi has postponed completing his cabinet reshuffle until next week. Parliament rapporteur Imad Youkhana told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that Al-Abadi asked Parliament to postpone submitting the remaining list of candidates for his new cabinet until Saturday or Monday, parliament accepted his request.

Al-Abadi was scheduled to submit the complete list of his new cabinet during the parliament session yesterday. Meanwhile, he stressed his commitment to proceed with the ministerial change and reforms.

“The prime minister is determined to complete the reshuffle as soon as possible and move on to change the heads of independent bodies and agencies,” the statement added.

A member of the Rule of Law coalition, led by former Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki, has opposed the new ministers proposed by Al-Abadi.

MP Razak Al-Haidari said the new ministers were not technocrats and were chosen through political agreements between Al-Abadi and the heads of the blocs.