Politics

Iraqi parliament approves two new Kurdish ministers for Al-Sudani cabinet

The approval came after Al-Sudani on Thursday asked the lawmakers to give confidence to the candidates, whose parties had recently announced their candidacy.

Kurdistan 24 2022/12/03 14:19

Bangin Reakni (right), the newly approved minister of Iraqi construction and housing. Nizar Amedi (left) is the new Iraqi Minister of Environment. (Photo: Combined by Kurdistan 24)

Iraq Iraq Bangin Rekani Kurdistan Region KDP PUK Mohammad Shia Al Sudani

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Iraqi lawmakers on Saturday approved two new Kurdish picks from Prime Minister Mohammad Shia’ Al-Sudani for the ministries of construction and housing as well as the environment, the legislative house announced.

Bangin Rekani from the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) has been voted in by the Iraqi parliament to head the Ministry of Construction, Housing, Municipalities, and Public Works while Nizar Amedi from the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) obtained the approval of the members of parliament to lead Ministry of Environment.

Rekani previously served in the same position in the former Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi's cabinet.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is also led by a Kurd, Fuad Hussein, who has been in the position for two consecutive cabinets. PUK’s Khalid Shwani is leading the Ministry of Justice.

President of the Republic Latif Rasheed is also a Kurdish political veteran. The parliament’s second deputy comes from the KDP.

The premier’s cabinet was approved by the parliament in late October, ending more than a year of political gridlock that had risked a violent conflict between the disagreeing parties.

Al-Sudani was assigned by President Latif Rasheed on October 13 to form the next Iraqi government over a year after the country’s parliamentary elections and months-long political wrangling.

Served as a governor, Al-Sudani has also headed numerous ministries during his political career.