Newspaper: Al-Sudani’s ministerial changes threaten to disintegrate the framework and bring him face to face with Al-Maliki

Newspaper: Al-Sudani’s ministerial changes threaten to disintegrate the framework and bring him face to face with Al-Maliki

2023-04-22

In a report published today, Saturday, a London newspaper shed light on the changes that Prime Minister Muhammad Shia al-Sudani is scheduled to make in his cabinet, while indicating that they threaten to disintegrate the coordination framework.

The London-based newspaper, Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, reported in a report followed by Al-Mutala’, that “leaks from within the coordination framework indicate that an imminent clash between the prime minister and influential parties, regarding the upcoming cabinet reshuffle, may upset the Shiite balances.”

And Prime Minister Muhammad Shia al-Sudani announced, last Thursday, in a step that is considered the first since the formation of governments after 2003, that he is about to make an amendment affecting ministers in his government and a number of governors.

And she indicated that “the ministerial reshuffle will include ministers who failed to perform their duties, according to assessments conducted by Al-Sudani after 6 months of work.”

The newspaper quoted unnamed deputies as saying that Al-Sudani “got a green light to replace the ministers, their deputies and governors, and that the selection of new ministers will take place in consultation with the leaders of those parties.”

And she added, “The scenes of the coordination framework, which resemble hot tins these days, indicate that if the amendment actually took place, the coordination framework” would not remain in its current form, and that Al-Sudani is now in open confrontation with prominent leaders of the Shiite alliance.

She explained, “Although the leaks talk about service ministers who will be replaced due to poor performance, the major confrontation that al-Sudani is engaged in will be with former Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, regarding the replacement of the oil and interior ministers.”

She pointed out that “Al-Sudani is trying to change the Minister of Oil, who belongs to the State of Law coalition led by Al-Maliki, who insists on changing the Minister of Interior, who was nominated by Al-Sudani for the position, when the government was formed at the end of last year.”

And she indicated that “months ago, the relationship between Al-Sudani and Al-Maliki was not good, due to sharp intersections regarding government administration, which sometimes reached the public, as the leader of the State of Law coalition did not miss opportunities for his television appearances to direct criticism of Al-Sudani’s work.”

And she believed that “changing the oil minister will be an announcement of the start of stormy fluctuations within the coordination framework,” stressing that “a strike like this to al-Maliki will change a lot in the existing equation, so mediators from Shiite parties are trying to persuade al-Sudani to leave the matter, while party leaders are pressuring him to stop the cabinet reshuffle project. “.

And she continued, “Shiite parties believe that targeting al-Maliki is almost impossible due to his political and numerical weight within the coordination framework, and that this would mean for them to respond to al-Sudani by withdrawing confidence from him.”

But what is the story of the oil minister whom al-Sudani wants to replace, as part of the upcoming amendment project? Sources close to the government offices say that “the matter does not go beyond technical reviews of the minister’s performance, but in the kitchen of the coordination framework there is another story related to a major disagreement between the minister and the League of the Righteous movement, regarding contracts for oil projects.”

The newspaper quoted its sources as saying, “The minister close to Al-Maliki rejected investment contracts related to oil facilities in favor of parties affiliated with the movement led by Qais Khazali, who now feels that the minister’s positions are directed against the movement under pressure from Al-Maliki. On the other hand, the Minister of Interior, who may affect him, does not pass.” The cabinet reshuffle, in good times, due to a wave of criticism over security incidents, the latest of which was the escape of the head of the Sunni Endowment Office from a police station.

And she continued, “However, the issue of his change is no longer linked to his government performance, but rather to Al-Maliki’s position on him, who was not satisfied with his candidacy from the beginning, as the sources say, in addition to his being placed on the list of those covered by the ministerial change. It may be” a response to targeting the oil minister.

And she concluded, “This turbulent atmosphere may reach the stage of breaking bones between the leaders of the coordination framework, while Al-Sudani puts himself in a decisive confrontation with his allies, any outcome in which will undoubtedly upset the Shiite balance, whether by the Prime Minister’s retreat from the amendment, or proceeding with it and enduring the possibilities of disintegration.” the frame”.

almutalee.com