Iraq's parliament on Thursday approved 14 of the candidates nominated by prime minister-designate Ali Al Zaidi for ministerial posts, ending months of political deadlock following the November general election.
Parliament's approval of the majority of posts in Mr Al Zaidi's proposed cabinet paved the way for him to be sworn in later as Prime Minister.
However, his nominees for ministers of planning and higher education were rejected, leaving him with posts to fill in nine ministries altogether, including interior, defence, culture, reconstruction, migration, labour and social affairs and youth, when the legislature convenes after the Eid Al Adha holidays at the end of the month.
Two Iraqi ministers keep their posts
Fuad Hussein retained his post as Foreign Minister, which he has held since 2020. The Kurdish politician has also served previously as finance minister.
Another Kurdish politician, Khalid Shawani, a member of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, also kept her post as Justice Minister.
Basim Mohammed will be Iraq's new Oil Minister after holding the position of deputy oil minister in the cabinet of former prime minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani.
Parliament approved Mr Al Zaidi's nomination of Faleh Sari to head the Finance Ministry, while Mustafa Jabbar Sanad, a controversial politician who was suspended from parliament earlier this year for slapping a fellow MP, got the nod for the post of Minister of Communications.
Other names to be approved were Mohammed Nouri Ahmed as Industry Minister, Ali Saad Wahib as Electricity Minister, and Abdulhussein Aziz as Health Minister.
Sarwa Abdulwahid, who will serve as Environment Minister in the new government, was the only woman on Mr Al Zaidi's list of candidates. She worked as a journalist for several years and was a rights activist before becoming an MP.
Abdulrahim Jassim will serve as Agriculture Minister, while Muthanna Ali Mahdi Al Tamimi, a member of the Iran-backed Badr Organisation, will be Minister of Water Resources.
Parliament also approved Mustafa Nizar Jumaa as Trade Minister and Abdulkarim Abtan as Education Minister.
