Iraqi Prime Minister to reshuffle cabinet

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (K24) – Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi formed a committee to oversee the reshuffling of his cabinet and to create a new technocratic government.

“I ask for a major reshuffle to include professionals, technocrats, [and] academics, and I call upon the Council of Representatives and political parties to cooperate with us [during] this dangerous stage,” Abadi announced in a broadcasted speech.

Not long after the speech, Iraqi political parties and figures criticized the Prime Minister and voiced discontent with the decision.

A Kurdish MP in the Iraqi parliament, Khasro Goran, told K24 that Abadi’s mission for the cabinet reshuffle is not easy. “This time, the Shia blocs are not united among themselves; even Abadi’s party have different stances on the cabinet reshuffle,” Goran added.

“We [Kurds] support reforms but with the condition that they are not at [our] expense…if they mean to bring technocrats to the government, all political parties have technocrats,” Goran said.

In a statement released on Monday, Al-Watani Coalition Bloc not only rejected his request but added that this decision is a result of his "failure [as] Prime Minister." 

“The Prime Minister [made] a strange decision to replace the current government of technocrats with another government of technocrats,” the statement added.

Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, head of Sadir Front, reiterated his support for a technocratic government to rescue Iraq. "If the reform package is not implemented within 45 days, we will withdraw from the political process and withdraw confidence from the current government,” Sadr added.

Reporting by Baxtiyar Goran

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany and Benjamin Kweskin