Kurdistan24 Exclusive: Details on the Completion of Ali al-Zaidi’s Government

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - The somber silence of the Ashura holidays has been abruptly replaced by the familiar, high-stakes clatter of Baghdad's political bazaar. Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, whose government remains an unfinished mosaic of competing interests, is currently presiding over an intensive round of negotiations aimed at filling the final vacancies in his cabinet.

The pressure is not merely domestic; with an official visit to the White House scheduled for next month, the Prime Minister is acutely aware that arriving in Washington with a partial government would signal a lack of institutional muscle at a moment when he desperately seeks to project stability.

However, according to exclusive information obtained by Kurdistan24, the path to a completed cabinet remains obstructed by the very system that brought al-Zaidi to power: the muhasasa, or sectarian quota system, which transforms every ministerial appointment into a zero-sum game of influence among the nation's political elite.

The most visible friction exists within the Coordination Framework, the powerful Shiite umbrella group that forms the backbone of the governing coalition.

Following the conclusion of the religious holidays, the Framework's leaders have engaged in a series of marathon sessions that have, thus far, been defined more by their rivalries than by their results.

The struggle is particularly acute at the highest level of the executive branch, the three Deputy Prime Minister positions. While one of these slots is traditionally designated for the Kurds, a fierce competition has broken out for the Shiite deputy premiership.

On one side stands Mohsin al-Mandalawi, the head of the Asas Alliance, who is locked in a political stalemate with Mohammed Sahib al-Darraji. For al-Zaidi, this rivalry is more than a personnel dispute; it represents a fundamental struggle for the ear of the Prime Minister and control over the government's daily administrative levers.

The third deputy position, reserved for the Sunni component, remains in a state of suspended animation.

Despite ongoing dialogues, Sunni political forces have yet to coalesce around a unified nominee, reflecting a broader fragmentation within that bloc that Prime Minister al-Zaidi must now navigate.

Nowhere are the stakes higher than at the Ministry of Interior, the crown jewel of Iraq's internal security apparatus.

This portfolio falls within the quota of the State of Law Coalition, led by former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

Kurdistan24 has learned that three primary candidates are currently under consideration: Qais al-Mohammadawi, the Deputy Commander of Joint Operations; Omar Wael, who currently leads the Border Crossings Authority; and Qasim Atta. 

Sources indicate that Atta remains the personal preference of Maliki, making the appointment a litmus test for the former premier's continued influence over the current administration's security policy.

While these traditional roles are being contested, al-Zaidi is also attempting to modernize and expand the state's reach through the creation of new institutions.

The government has proposed the establishment of a "Digital Ministry" to spearhead Iraq's long-delayed transition toward electronic administrative services.

Simultaneously, a plan to create a standalone "Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities" has gained traction, with Ahmed al-Asadi emerging as the leading contender for the role.

Yet, al-Zaidi's ambitions have also met with firm resistance. A proposal to establish a "Ministry of State for Foreign Affairs", seen by some as an attempt to dilute the influence of existing diplomatic structures, was recently scrapped.

The Coordination Framework reportedly abandoned the initiative following robust opposition from the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), illustrating the vital role regional forces play in maintaining the coalition's equilibrium.

The complexity of these arrangements has prompted concerns among political observers.

Mushreq al-Fureiji, a leader in the Reconstruction and Development Alliance, told Kurdistan24 that while the Prime Minister is desperate to enter the Washington talks with a "closed file" on his cabinet, the lack of consensus makes that goal "highly difficult." 

Salah al-Kubaisi of the Siyada Alliance echoed this sentiment, noting that the Sunni factions are still attempting to recalibrate their own internal alliances, including an initiative to bring the Azm Alliance back into the National Political Council.

The Prime Minister is also looking beyond his cabinet to the diplomatic front.

Kurdistan24 has learned that al-Zaidi has requested the Coordination Framework's approval for a significant change in Iraq's representation abroad: the appointment of Grigor Bacram Moses, a former advisor to the Prime Minister, as Iraq's next ambassador to Washington.

It is a strategic move intended to ensure the Prime Minister has a trusted envoy in place for his upcoming visit, though Shiite leadership has yet to grant its final blessing to the nomination.

As the clock ticks toward his departure for the United States, al-Zaidi finds himself in a familiar Iraqi paradox.

To govern effectively, he needs a complete cabinet; but to complete that cabinet, he must surrender portions of his authority to the very factions he is supposed to lead. Whether he can bridge these divides before landing in Washington will determine if he is seen as a sovereign leader or merely a coordinator of an ever-shifting political committee.