The imminent government of Muhammad Allawi .. Is it really a bazaar for positions?

Mustafa Al Masoudi - Baghdad

It has been more than 15 days since Muhammad Tawfiq Allawi was appointed to head the new government in Iraq, which he is supposed to present to a vote in the House of Representatives before March 2, but conflicts between political blocs are still continuing.

These conflicts are increasing over ministerial portfolios, and the gains from the government of resigned Adel Abdel Mahdi, which threatens to pass his cabinet formation, which the protest squares insist on rejecting, but recently went beyond the agreement to offer an alternative to Muhammad Allawi to form the transitional government in the country.

Although Mohammed Allawi announced a few days ago his approach to achieving what he described as a historical achievement in the file of the government, expressing his hope that the members of the House of Representatives would respond and pass them inside the parliament dome, the Kurdish parties and the Iraqi Forces Alliance - which represents a number of Sunni parties in parliament - may form An obstacle postponing the decision and allowing the demonstrators to put their candidate before the political forces.

In his endeavor to fulfill his promises of an independent government, Allawi remains restricted between the Kurds and some Sunni forces' adherence to their gains, and the threat of Shiite blocs not to pass the upcoming government formation after talking about an "auction" to purchase ministerial portfolios.

The Kurdish role
Kurdistan Democratic Party member Imad Bajlan says in an interview with Al-Jazeera Net that the Kurdish component has no fewer than three ministerial portfolios in the government, which came with the electoral merit, and this means that it has a role in decision-making, and with real participation and not a sham.

Baglan added that the Kurdish forces have no objections to the independent nomination of these benefits, but their choice must be through the official Kurdish institutions, noting that the whistling of problems between Erbil and Baghdad regarding strategic agreements and the share of the budget and oil, is the most important of our portfolios.

He continued that the most important thing for the Kurdish forces in the governments - whether transitional, temporary or permanent - are the understandings that have been achieved between Erbil and Baghdad during the Abdul Mahdi government, which has gone a long way in settling the problems. For this, the Kurdish parties negotiate to guarantee the understandings reached with Abdul Mahdi, and "We will not hinder Allawi if the agreements that have been achieved are preserved, but otherwise we are partners in the country with everyone."

The prime minister-designate who intends to present his government in parliament in the coming days relies on the "Al-Fateh" factions led by Hadi Al-Amiri and "Sairoon" led by Muqtada Al-Sadr - who support him strongly - to gain confidence, but that confidence dissipates as time passes and the month draws to a close.

While leaks indicate that the upcoming government formation may not differ much from the government of Abdul-Mahdi, where there is talk of an "auction" for the purchase of ministerial portfolios, the Sadrist movement threatened to drop it if it was confirmed that there was a "bazaar for positions."

The leader of the current, Governor of Zamili, said that the Allawi government will not pass if the reports that talk about the existence of a "bazaar for positions" in the upcoming ministerial formation are proven.

Sunnis and protesters
Muhammad Allawi is racing to catch up with the constitutional deadline that ends early March, while his formation, which he says has been completed, faces a strong popular and political rejection, as the Sunni “coalition of forces” bloc in parliament insists on sticking to Sunni political representation in the prospective government.

Raad Dahlaki, deputy head of the bloc, said that technocrats are a big lie, and the coalition is adhering to its political representation in Allawi's government, noting that the political process is based on political blocs, and the demand for political representation is not a cause.

Al-Dahlaki pointed out that "just asking Sunni representation is not enough, and we want our (our representative) to be political to bear the disadvantages of choice and the positivity is reflected on the party, especially since the Sunni provinces need real service and political vision."

With the sit-in areas announcing an agreement to nominate the prominent activist in the protests, Alaa al-Rikabi for prime minister, the scene has become more complicated and puts Mohammed Allawi and the Shiite blocs supporting him in front of thorny prospects that may escalate the wave of demonstrations again, and end not passing the expected government.