Political blocs in talks over cabinet shares as Zaidi’s 30-day deadline begins

BAGHDAD — The Coordination Framework and other political blocs are holding ongoing meetings to agree on ministerial allocations within the 30-day constitutional deadline for forming a cabinet, lawmaker Ibtisam al-Hilali said Saturday.

Hilali, a member of the State of Law Coalition, said there is “confirmation and a strong will from the heads of political blocs to resolve the entitlements and form the next government in the coming period.” She said allocations will be based on political weight and parliamentary representation, noting that “the points assigned to a sovereign ministry are equivalent to two or three service ministries.” Sovereign ministries in Iraq typically include the interior, defense, foreign affairs, finance and oil portfolios.

Earlier this week, Reconstruction and Development Coalition lawmaker Hassan al-Khafaji outlined a proposed distribution in which the Ministry of Education would go to the Shiite bloc, Higher Education to the Sunnis and Foreign Affairs would remain with the Kurdistan Democratic Party. He said Oil would go to the Reconstruction and Development Coalition and Finance to Asaib Ahl al-Haq, with four deputy prime ministers distributed two to the Shiite component, one to the Sunni component and one to the Kurdish component.

Zaidi was nominated Monday by the Coordination Framework following the withdrawal of both Maliki and incumbent Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani. He has 30 days to form a cabinet, draft a government program and secure approval from an absolute majority of parliament’s 329 members.