Member of parliament Ali al-Badri said Sept. 17 that it is difficult for Abadi to appoint more ministers from among technocrats and independent figures, since the political blocs notified him that he will have to withdraw from the Dawa Party if he wants to give ministerial security portfolios to independent figures irrespective of the “power-sharing principle,” which delayed the appointment of the ministers of interior and defense after a long period of vacancy.
Moussa explained the challenge facing technocrat ministers, saying, “Independent ministers will have to fight the sharks, brokers and militants of the major dominating political parties.”
He said, “The political parties’ brokers have been accustomed to concluding money-spinning and corrupt contracts and deals through the Iraqi ministries. Technocrat ministers are here to put things back on track and get rid of these brokers.”
On Aug. 17, in her first press conference after her appointment as minister of construction, housing and public municipalities, Awsei seemed to challenge the routine political procedure, saying, “We do not belong to any specific component. The ministry is an Iraqi ministry. Its objective is to serve the country.”
Traditionally, according to the Iraqi political process, state positions are distributed among the major political parties according to a sectarian power-sharing principle. The portfolios are divided according to specific quotas among Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds. Awsei’s previous statements seem to cancel these procedures approved by the Iraqi parties.
Moussa said that he doubts all of the ministers appointed by Abadi are from among technocrats. However, he said, “The technocrat ministers will not adapt to the rampant corruption in the ministries given their different mindset and the difficult task to rationalize expenditures under the pressure of austerity.”
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