Iraq approves government with Maliki as prime minister

IRAQ’S parliament approved Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and his new government yesterday, nine months after an inconclusive election left politics in limbo and delayed investments to rebuild the country after years of war.

Lawmakers voted into office Maliki and a new slate of ministers, elevating Oil Minister Hussain al-Shahristani to deputy prime minister for energy and leaving in place Kurdish veteran Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari.

Highlighting the ethnic and sectarian divides that pervade the war-ravaged country, parliament had to postpone the vote on Monday after last-minute factional disputes and political horse-trading over posts delayed the government’s formation.

In a speech to parliament before lawmakers approved his government plan, Maliki acknowledged the rough road Iraq’s fledgling democracy took during the nine months of squabbling between political factions.

“I do not say that this government, with all its formations, satisfies its citizens’ aspiration, nor the political blocs’, nor my ambition, nor any other person’s ambition, because it is formed... in extraordinary circumstances,” he told lawmakers.

Former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, who failed to gain enough support for a parliamentary majority after his cross-sectarian Iraqiya bloc won the most seats, told lawmakers his Sunni-backed coalition would participate fully in the government.

“We as the Iraqiya bloc declare our full support for this government,” Allawi said. “Iraqiya will play an active, productive and cooperative role.”

Maliki has yet to decide on permanent choices for some positions.

The prime minister promoted deputy Oil Minister Abdul Kareem Luaibi to minister and made prominent Sunni leader Rafie al-Esawi finance minister.

“The deal the parties worked out is rather elaborate but the critical thing is that they were able to get to this point through peaceful negotiations without any return to large-scale violence,” said Shadi Hamid, director of research at the Brookings Doha Centre.

“That said, power-sharing deals like this one tend to be quite fragile and so the next few months will present a crucial test for the... rival blocs.”