Iraqi PM Al-Sudani considers cabinet reshuffle to replace four ministers

BAGHDAD — Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani is expected to replace four key ministers in a cabinet reshuffle, a senior government source told 964media. The shake-up will likely involve the Ministries of Trade, Education, Culture, and Transportation, following ‘observations’ about their performance.

According to the source, who spoke under the condition of anonymity, “there are serious negative observations on some ministries that will likely lead to either the replacement of the minister or a warning.” Ministers most likely to be replaced include Trade Minister Atheer Al-Ghurairy, Education Minister Ibrahim Namis Al-Jubouri, Culture Minister Ahmed Fakak Al-Badrani, and Transportation Minister Razzaq Muheibis Al-Saadawi.

In a rare departure from his usual diplomatic tone, Al-Sudani delivered a fiery speech on Sunday, accusing unnamed opponents of “confusion, obfuscation, falsehoods, and allegations,” implying they had ignored certain corruption issues. These remarks came after a wave of accusations over the past 15 days, including allegations of spying within his office and corruption claims in key ministries.

The source noted that no decision had yet been made on whether to change the Ministry of Higher Education’s leadership, stating that discussions with Higher Education Minister Naim Al-Aboudi could still occur to address existing concerns.

The reshuffle, if confirmed, would allow the newly appointed ministers approximately one year to implement reforms before Iraq’s parliamentary elections, which some have argued is too short of a time to see significant change.

In his speech, Al-Sudani dismissed claims that his administration “was turning a blind eye to corruption,” stating that the government continues to face “misinformation campaigns, mixing facts with falsehoods.” He emphasized his administration’s efforts to recover stolen funds and combat corruption.

However, according to a report from Sharq Al-Awsat, Al-Sudani faces growing pressure from the Shia Coordination Framework to resign. During a recent meeting, former Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki reportedly set difficult conditions for Al-Sudani to avoid the government’s collapse. These conditions allegedly included ceding control of the intelligence agency to the Framework and restructuring his administration, but Al-Sudani is said to have rejected these demands.

The reshuffle is expected to move forward once the issue of the parliamentary speaker is resolved, ensuring political balance in the selection of the new ministers, especially since three of the ministries in question are currently headed by Sunni political figures.