Iraqi assembly approves partial Cabinet News
Iraqi assembly approves partial Cabinet

[JURIST] Iraqi lawmakers have approved a partial Cabinet for the country's interim government after months of delay over the final list. Incoming Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari [Wikipedia profile] submitted a list that included 27 ministers and 5 acting ministers, which received overwhelming approval Wednesday from the interim National Assembly. The Cabinet includes members of primary Shiite, Sunni and Kurdish parties in Iraq [JURIST news archive]. However, the two deputy prime minister posts and several key ministerial positions remain in dispute, with acting ministers included on the list approved by the Assembly. Al-Jaafari will also serve as acting defense minister on the current Cabinet. Iraq's newly elected officials have struggled to reach agreement on a government in the time since the Jan. 30 elections [JURIST news archive]. Shiite and Kurdish leaders, who won a majority of votes in the election, have differed over how to divide power and still include Sunni politicians to ensure a stable government. The interim government is supposed to draft an Iraqi constitution [JURIST news archive] by August. A handover between al-Jaafari and current Prime Minister Ayad Allawi is expected within days. AP has more.

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