The new Iraqi Prime Minister-designate has taken his first steps in forming the new government by meeting with the Kurdish politician, Finance Minister Fuad Hussein.
Mustafa al-Kadhimi was nominated by President Barham Salih shortly after the previous designated prime minister, Adnan al-Zurfi, announced his withdrawal having failed to secure enough support to pass a government.
Zurfi discussed with Hussein the formation of the next government, which received support from Kurds and Sunnis one day before Kadhimi was officially designated.
“I had a friendly and explicit meeting with PM-designate Mustafa al-Kadhimi, in which we discussed steps of his cabinet formation and challenges Iraq faces,” Hussein wrote on his official Twitter account.
“I wished Mr. Kadhimi success in his endeavors and hoped he submits his cabinet list to the parliament at the earliest.”
In Fallujah, Salih paid a private visit to Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi’s house.
Both officials discussed the basic steps for forming the first Iraqi government that receives regional and international consensus.
Although Kadhimi’s designation was approved by the United States and Iran, yet conflicting positions seem to appear between the armed factions not participating in the government and the various Shiite political blocs in the country.
Positions of the armed factions in Iraq have also varied. Kataib Hezbollah issued a statement expressing its rejection of whom it described as a “suspicious figure” to form the next Iraqi government.
On the other hand, Kataib al-Imam Ali issued a similar statement in which it expressed support and respect for the choices of political forces.
Its Secretary-General Shibl al-Zaidi affirmed that his faction’s primary concern is to support the political process and preserve the interests of the majority and the democratic process within its constitutional framework, “for a better Iraq.”
Commenting on the position of the armed factions, National security professor at the Nahrain University Dr. Hussein Allawi told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Shiite consensus and the support from the national political forces on Kadhimi’s designation were not fitting for the special armed factions in Iraq.
He said the difference in the political positions of the armed factions is normal since they were speculating having a country with only a caretaker government, which is too weak to face them.