Sunday’s session aims to divide ministerial jobs among the various parties Iraq parliament to hold session
Sunday’s session aims to divide ministerial jobs among the various parties The Iraqi parliament is to meet to begin in earnest the job its members were elected to do in March.
MPs finally ended an eight-month period of deadlock the week before last, when they chose a speaker and reappointed Jalal Talabani as president.
That cleared the way for caretaker Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to form a new government.
But progress was interrupted by the Muslim holiday of Eid, which ended on Saturday.
Sunday’s session aims to divide ministerial jobs among the various parties and define the role of the new government body known provisionally as the National Council for Strategic Policies.
This will be led by former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, who was outmanoeuvred by Mr Maliki for the top job, despite winning more seats in March’s election.
It has been surprisingly quiet in Baghdad these past few days.
Iraq government deadlockMarch: Elections give two-seat lead to former PM Iyad Allawi – not enough to form a governmentJune: Parliament meets for 20 minutes, MPs sworn in but delay formal return to work to give time for coalition talksAugust: Iraq’s Supreme Court orders parliament to re-conveneNovember: power-sharing deal agreed. Shia bloc to get PM’s job, Sunnis to get speaker plus new role for Mr Allawi. Kurds keep presidency.Iraq’s great balancing act Profile: Nouri al-Maliki
Contrary to some expectations, there were no significant attacks as residents of the capital celebrated the Eid holiday.
Is it the political breakthrough that has caused this sudden outbreak of peacefulness?
Many will be hoping so, and that the spirit of accord, still so young and fragile, will survive the challenges and tensions that will undoubtedly surface as the business of politics resumes.
After a record-breaking period between the election and the formation of the government, once President Talabani officially asks Mr Maliki to form an administration, he will have 30 days to do so.
He will face a delicate task of dividing up ministerial portfolios between the various parties and factions, Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds.
The consolation prize for Mr Allawi and his mainly Sunni coalition is the leadership of the new council, but there are likely to be tensions over how much power it will wield.
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