Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraqi political blocs that have yet to complete their shares in Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi's Cabinet have formed internal committees to review candidates for the remaining ministries based on their electoral weight, an informed source told Shafaq News on Saturday.

The State of Law Coalition, led by former PM Nouri Al-Maliki and holding 29 seats in Iraq's 329-member Parliament, is reviewing six candidates for the Interior Ministry before submitting a shortlist to Al-Zaidi, who will choose the final nominee.

The candidates include former Interior Minister Abdul Amir Al-Shammari and Lieutenant General Qasim Atta, whose nomination, according to the source, faces local and regional objections despite continued efforts by some parties to secure his approval. Other names under consideration include technocrats, among them a senior Interior Ministry officer holding the rank of lieutenant general and a doctorate degree, along with independent figures.

The Higher Education Ministry is also part of State of Law's share, while the Youth and Sports Ministry is expected to go to Ammar Al-Hakim's National State Forces Alliance, which holds 18 seats. The Labor and Social Affairs Ministry will be allocated to Sadiqoon, the political wing of Asaib Ahl al-Haq, which secured 27 seats.

Nearly 90% of the Cabinet lineup is expected to be completed before Al-Zaidi's planned visit to Washington in mid-July, alongside the finalization of efforts to dismantle armed factions, the source noted, adding that the issue will be handled through legal channels.

Parliament approved Al-Zaidi's government and ministerial program on May 14, granting confidence to 14 ministers, while the vote on nine remaining Cabinet posts was postponed because of disagreements over their allocation.

Earlier today, a senior figure in the Shiite Coordination Framework, the largest parliamentary bloc, told Shafaq News that Al-Zaidi would not complete his Cabinet before the US visit, citing unresolved disputes over some nominees as blocs continue internal talks over their remaining ministerial shares.

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