Tuesday, June 05, 2007
Blocs opposing new candidates delay reshuffle
Politics
(Voices of Iraq) - An Iraqi Parliamentarian from the Kurdistan Coalition said on Monday that a number of parliamentarian blocs' objection to the candidates for the vacant portfolios led to a delay in the lawmakers' voting. "The Sadrist bloc, lawmakers loyal to the Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, argued that the candidates are not independent or technocratic enough," Mahmoud Othman told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI).
Six ministers, from the Sadrist bloc, withdrew from the government in mid April and the Shiite cleric Sadr authorized the Iraqi Prime Minister to select alternatives from the qualified independent characters. The Sadrist bloc, a main component of the Shiite parliamentary bloc, has 30 seats out of the 275-seat parliament.
"A number of the parliament's members left the session when it was presented for discussion, which led to lack of quorum," Othman also said.
"The last session was attended by 171 members, but they were busy discussing issues on protecting the parliament's building and when the time came to vote for the reshuffle, only 110 members were present and it was not sufficient according to the constitution to vote for a reshuffle which necessitate the presence of no less than 138 members," he explained.
"The vacant ministries are important as most offer services and there should be an understanding between the blocs to settle the whole issue," the lawmaker noted. He voiced hope over settling the issue in Tuesday's session.
Six ministers, from the Sadrist bloc, withdrew from the government in mid April and the Shiite cleric Sadr authorized the Iraqi Prime Minister to select alternatives from the qualified independent characters. The Sadrist bloc, a main component of the Shiite parliamentary bloc, has 30 seats out of the 275-seat parliament.
"A number of the parliament's members left the session when it was presented for discussion, which led to lack of quorum," Othman also said.
"The last session was attended by 171 members, but they were busy discussing issues on protecting the parliament's building and when the time came to vote for the reshuffle, only 110 members were present and it was not sufficient according to the constitution to vote for a reshuffle which necessitate the presence of no less than 138 members," he explained.
"The vacant ministries are important as most offer services and there should be an understanding between the blocs to settle the whole issue," the lawmaker noted. He voiced hope over settling the issue in Tuesday's session.
Labels: Kurdistan Coalition, Mahmoud Othman, Sadrist bloc
