Vote on new Iraqi government postponed for hours
Previous speaker Mohamed Al-Halbousi during a session at the Iraqi parliament
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – While a parliamentary session was expected to be held Thursday afternoon to vote on granting confidence to the new Iraqi government formed by Prime Minister-designate Muhammad Al-Sudani, the session was postponed until evening hours, local time.
Rapporteur of the Iraqi Parliament, Gharib Askar, revealed that the reason for the postponement is to continue consultation with Al-Sudani on some of the nominations.
“Negotiations are ongoing until the moment between the Prime Minister-designate and the political parties to finally select candidates for some ministries,” Askar explained.
Askar also confirmed that Al-Sudani is making some changes so far, according Shafaq News.
Askar made it clear that there is a political agreement to grant confidence to the new government on Thursday, Shafaq News reported.
The new government and its ministerial program must gain votes of an absolute majority of the number of deputies in the Parliament, that is, one-half plus one, as stipulated in the Iraqi constitution.
According to Article 76 of the Iraqi constitution, the Prime Minister-designate shall present the names of his members of the Council of Ministers and the ministerial program to the Parliament.
The government is considered to have the confidence upon the approval, by an absolute majority of the Parliament, of the individual ministers and the ministerial program, according to the Iraqi constitution.