The secrets of Al-Zaydi’s meetings with the leaders of the blocs: merging ministries and agencies and amending the Popular Mobilization Forces law
The secrets of Al-Zaydi’s meetings with the leaders of the blocs: merging ministries and agencies and amending the Popular Mobilization Forces law
2026-09-06
Shafaq News – Baghdad
An informed source revealed on Sunday that Prime Minister Ali al-Zubaidi discussed with political leaders and blocs the axes of completing the government cabinet and merging some ministries and independent bodies to reduce expenses, as well as amending the Popular Mobilization Forces Law.
The source told Shafaq News Agency that “during his visit to the head of the State of Law Coalition, Nouri al-Maliki, al-Zaydi discussed the files of completing the formation of the government, and also reviewed his team’s proposals to reduce and control expenditures by merging some ministries and independent bodies such as the Shiite and Sunni endowments, the Office of Endowments for Christian, Yazidi and Sabean Mandaean Religions, and the Hajj and Umrah Authority into a Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs or another name with the same content.”
He indicated that “the merger may also include some ministries, and that this issue will be raised during the next meeting of the Coordination Framework Forces.”
He added that “Al-Zaydi, during his individual and bilateral meetings with political and parliamentary leaders, stressed the need to accelerate the pace of work to reach a political consensus to decide on the candidates for ministerial portfolios and complete the cabinet, and that if this is done and the political bloc’s candidate does not obtain the confidence of Parliament, then Al-Zaydi will choose himself whomever he sees fit for the ministerial portfolios because completing the government cabinet has become a binding and urgent requirement.”
He noted that “Al-Zaydi also discussed finalizing the amendments to the Popular Mobilization Forces draft law and referring it to the House of Representatives for legislation, as well as following up on the latest developments in the work of the framework committee concerned with the file of managing and restricting weapons and the entity responsible for receiving and storing weapons.”
Al-Zaydi held separate meetings during the past period with leaders of blocs such as Al-Maliki and President Nizar Amidi, in addition to receiving deputies from most of the large parliamentary blocs individually.
On May 14, 2026, the Iraqi parliament granted confidence to the government of Ali Faleh al-Zaidi and its ministerial program, and voted on 14 ministers out of 23, while nine portfolios remained postponed due to disagreements over names and quotas, including the Interior, Defense, Higher Education and Planning ministries.
Yesterday, the State Administration Coalition, in a meeting, stressed the need to begin dialogue with the blocs entitled to representation during the coming week to finalize the completion of the government cabinet, while emphasizing the continuation of coordination between the components of the coalition and support for state institutions in facing the current challenges.
shafaq.com
