The Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi's recent changes to a number of independent bodies and senior positions in the state sparked mixed reactions at the political level, between supporters and opponents, and political blocs quickly declared their innocence of these changes, and considered them disappointment and saw them as allotted.

The quota system is an essential element in the Iraqi political system after the US invasion of the country in 2003, and its role is evident in cases of political, sectarian or national polarization of high government positions, through its assignment on a partisan basis.

Al-Kinani believed that Al-Kazemi's changes are devoted to sectarian and party quotas (Al-Jazeera)

Repeating faces

Political analyst Hussein al-Kanani attributed the rejection of most of the political blocs to these changes to the fact that the Al-Kazemi government had brought in people who were previously dismissed from the same positions, to which they were returned today.

"As soon as we notice the recent changes, we find that they consecrate the principle of sectarian and partisan quotas, which were the reason behind the decline in government performance," Al-Kinani noted during his speech to Al-Jazeera Net.

And he believed that "these changes came a few days after the statement of the Shiite authority in Iraq, which demanded to fight corruption and to bring the elders to the judiciary, so that they would receive their just penalty."

The blocs opposing the changes that Al-Kazemi made in high positions in the state had previously authorized him and gave him the green light to choose whom he deems suitable in his government, according to Ali Badiri, a representative of the Iraqi coalition.

Badiri pointed out during his speech to Al-Jazeera Net that "Al-Kazemi will be the first official in front of the political blocs, Parliament and the Iraqi people in case of success or failure of those who have recently been assigned to manage various bodies and positions in the state."

He explained that "the positions whose directors have been replaced by others have been assigned to manage the position by agency, not originality," stressing that "the appointment is original, needs the approval of the House of Representatives, as for the agency it is within the authority of the government."

On the other hand, Bahaa Al-Araji, the former Deputy Prime Minister, said that if some of Al-Kazemi's changes were frustrating, as some personalities described, the reactions of the political blocs reflect the extent of political hypocrisy.

The fact that they demand it strongly in secret, and reject it in public.

If some of Al-Kazemi's changes for the occupants of special degrees were frustrating, as some personalities described, the reactions of the political blocs reflect the extent of political hypocrisy.

The fact that they demand it strongly in secret and reject it in public!

- Bahaa Al-Araji (@bahaa_alaaraji) September 15, 2020

Al-Kazemi's response

Commenting on these criticisms, Al-Kazemi tried to block the trolls with troubled water, according to observers, when he indicated that his recent changes had been based on quotas, most of the political forces in the country would not object to him.

Al-Kazemi said during a cabinet session yesterday evening that "the positions of some political blocs in this regard must be accompanied by specific information; to be dealt with seriously by us," wondering if the forces declared their innocence of these changes - necessary and legal - so how do you describe them as partisan quota changes? .

The positions of some political blocs on the issue of quotas must be accompanied by specific information about this alleged allocation, and we will deal with this information seriously and verify it within the applicable contexts.

- Media Office of the Prime Minister 🇮🇶 (@IraqiPMO) September 15, 2020

Regarding the controversy surrounding these changes, Ahmed Mulla Talal, a spokesman for the Prime Minister, confirmed during a press conference that these changes took place within a legal and administrative context, explaining that the Prime Minister highly appreciated the reactions of the political forces rejecting quotas.

Regarding the timing of this procedure, Mulla Talal stated, "The changes that occurred in these positions came due to the passage of the prescribed period for their former occupants, and that the selection of substitutes came from the womb of the institutions themselves, and were assigned to persons of competence and experience."

🔻 Al-Fateh, the people of the state of law rejected Al-Kazemi's changes ️


🔻 Iraqis and Al-Nasr are silent about Al-Kazemi's changes‼


Journalists and activists love, love, hate and love‼ ️‼ ️ pic.twitter.com/8bnwLXPELe

- Free Media and the Voice of the People (@ cvcUapzQWe8BOql) September 15, 2020

Parliament's position

Regardless of whether or not some names are accepted for political forces, the Legal Committee in the House of Representatives considered the agency appointment orders recently issued by Al-Kazimi as a constitutional violation.

Al-Jazeera Net obtained a copy of a document issued by the Parliamentary Committee, which included assigning the authority to appoint to senior and private positions, exclusively in the House of Representatives.

The document also stated that "the powers of recommending appointment to these positions are limited to the Council of Ministers exclusively and not to the Prime Minister, in addition to that the authority to appoint them to the Council of Representatives is also exclusively after a proposal from the Council of Ministers."

The Parliamentary Legal Committee called on Al-Kazemi to "correct such decisions in accordance with the provisions of the constitution, the internal system and applicable legislation, and not to override the provisions of the constitution when issuing government orders."

It is noteworthy that Al-Kazemi's changes included 15 high-ranking positions, including the appointment of Sami Al-Masoudi - a leader in the Popular Mobilization Forces and former deputy head of the Office of the Shiite Endowment - as head of the Hajj and Umrah Authority, and the appointment of the former Minister of Defense Khaled Al-Ubaidi as the deputy of operations in the intelligence service, and Faleh Al-Issawi as deputy head of the agency National Security.

The amendments also included unknown figures, including Mustafa Ghaleb al-Kitab to head the Central Bank of Iraq, and the advisor for investment affairs, Suha al-Najjar, was appointed as head of the National Investment Commission, Manhal al-Haboubi for the Baghdad Municipality, Salem Chalabi to head the Iraqi Trade Bank, and Judge Alaa Jawad as head of the Integrity Commission.