President refers Sudani and his former cabinet to retirement

BAGHDAD — President Nizar Amedi has issued a decree referring former Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani and the ministers of his cabinet to retirement under Iraq’s pension law, on the recommendation of Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi.

The decree covers al-Sudani and twelve of his ministers, including former Oil Minister Hayan Abdul Ghani, former Finance Minister Taif Sami, former Interior Minister Abdul Amir al-Shammari, former Water Resources Minister Awn Diab and former Construction and Housing Minister Bengin Rekani. Also named were the former ministers of health, industry, trade, culture, labor and environment. Under Iraqi law, ministers and senior officials who leave office may be referred to retirement.

Sudani took office in October 2022, after parliament approved the cabinet put forward by the Coordination Framework, the coalition of Shia parties that has dominated Iraqi politics since. He succeeded Mustafa al-Kadhimi after more than a year of deadlock following the 2021 election.

Although Sudani’s Reconstruction and Development Coalition won more than 40 seats in the November 2025 election, months of talks within the Coordination Framework failed to agree on a second term for him, and the alliance instead settled on businessman Ali al-Zaidi as a compromise. Parliament approved Zaidi’s government in mid-May, ending months of negotiation over the new government.

Nine of the government’s 23 ministries remain unfilled, however, after parties failed to agree during the confidence session. Parliament rejected nominees for the planning, culture, construction and housing, higher education and interior ministries, while votes on the defense, labor, migration and youth and sports portfolios were postponed.