Govt's New Employment Agency: MPs as Career Advisers?

Of course, the Constitution was ratified in 2005. Yet, like many other aspects of government that it specifies, the Federal Public Service Council doesn't yet exist. In 2009, after much controversy about corruption within government institutions regarding how people got jobs there as well as pressure from civil society organisations and the general public, the Iraqi Parliament did manage to pass a draft bill on the formation of the Public Service Council.

Should the Federal Public Service Council ever become a reality, it would have several important tasks. Firstly, government institutions and ministries would have to inform the Council of their employee needs. The Council would then announce job opportunities and select candidates, who would be sent on to the employers involved for a final decision. The Council should be making employment decisions based on “professional standards, efficiency and training”, the draft law on it says.

Various parts of the draft law on the Council talk about who is in charge of the Council and it's financial and administrative independence, and how it should be composed. The Federal Public Service Council should have a president and a vice president as well as seven full time members. it says. The law also specifically stipulates that the members should have a variety of university degrees, including two law degrees and two economics degrees, among others. But the wrangling over who should be on this Council and what sort of representation various political parties may have has been a major obstacle in the formation of the Council.

“The Cabinet delayed giving any names of prospective Council members for a long time,” says Jawad al-Jibouri, an MP affiliated with the mainly Shiite Muslim Sadrist movement; the movement is allied with Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki but in recent months, has often been critical of him. “They did this because the list would never have satisfied those politicians and parties who are trying to keep all the government jobs for themselves, their members and allies.”