A vote in parliament to fill the vacant ministries in Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi’s cabinet has been repeatedly put back. Iraq’s return to deadlocked parliamentary politics, now involving Shi’ite factions rather than the Sunni-Shi’ite sectarianism that followed the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, prompted a plea last week from Iraq’s most senior Shi’ite cleric for politicians to work together. “You must not submit to what is going on behind the scenes,” Sadr told the prime minister. “Despite the difficulties the prime minister is facing in nominating interior and defense ministers, he should complete this formation and present names. “The prime minister doesn’t currently have a majority bloc in parliament that would support his government for four years,” Khazali said.

Source: Egypt Independent December 04, 2018 08:37 UTC