Cabinet talks to finish this week with vote expected next, Zaidi says

BAGHDAD — Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi said talks to complete his cabinet will conclude this week and the nominations will go to parliament for a vote next week, more than three months after his government took office nine ministers short.

He gave the timetable at the Coordination Framework’s 292nd meeting, held at the office of Badr Organization leader Hadi al-Amiri, the bloc said. The meeting also reviewed Iraq’s financial and economic position in light of the regional war and the disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, and discussed legislation the bloc considers urgent, including the federal budget law and legislation on the Popular Mobilization Forces.

Parliament approved the government programme and 14 of 23 ministers on May 14, rejecting nominees for interior, higher education, planning, culture, and reconstruction and housing, and postponing votes on defence, labour, migration and displacement, and youth and sports. Interior and defence have been the most contested, and the Hasm Alliance had still not submitted names for defence as of last week.