Iraqi Parliament set to vote on PM-designate's Cabinet on Wednesday

Political infighting has prolonged the approval of Mustafa Al Kadhimi as new head of government

A defaced poster of Mustafa Al Kadhimi, Iraq's prime minister-designate at a protests site in Baghdad's Tahrir Square. AP Photo

Iraq's Parliament is set to convene on Wednesday to approve a new government proposed by prime minister-designate Mustafa Al Kadhimi, according to officials.
For months political deadlock in Parliament has held up the selection of an interim prime minister, after Adel Abdul Mahdi resigned in November but stayed on as caretaker.

"The session will start at 9pm Baghdad time," an Iraqi politician told The National.
Political infighting between parties who are clinging on to power has fuelled the problem and is threatening to cause further unrest across the country as it faces an economic and health crisis.
The constitutional deadline to name a replacement for Mr Abdul Mahdi expires on May 9.
"I expect Mustafa Al Kadhimi's Cabinet to pass as he has the shaky support of about 200 members of Parliament," the politician said. 
Under Iraq's constitution, Mr Al Kadhimi's Cabinet must be approved by Parliament or President Barham Salih will need to appoint a new candidate.

Mr Salih tipped Mr Al Kadhimi for the post in early April, making him the third nominee in 10 weeks to form a government.
In 2016, Mr Al Kadhimi took the position as the head of intelligence and was known to be a human-rights activist and a political writer.
Last week he presented parliament with a new government plan that proposes to restrict access to weapons, curb corruption and hold early elections.
He has faced serious challenges in persuading political blocs to back his cabinet.
Pro-Iranian parliamentary blocs withdrew their support for Mr Al Kadhimi recently after they reversed their initial position of non-objection towards his appointment and chosen ministers for his cabinet.
"He is still in negotiations with Shiite parties who have close ties with Iran, and getting their support will be the main challenge for him," the official said.
Mr Al Kadhimi met Parliamentary Speaker Mohammed Al Halbousi on Tuesday evening to discuss the holding of the session.
 "The officials expressed their aspirations to form a strong government that would meet the aspirations and legitimate demands of the Iraqi people," said Mr Al Kadhimi's office said.
The development comes as Iraqi security forces launched a new anti-ISIS operation in the West on Tuesday.
"Operation Desert Lions was launched to hunt down terrorist remnants," said a security statement.
Forces from the Anbar and Al Jazeera Operations Commands and Popular Mobilisation Units, an umbrella group of mostly Shiite militias allied with the government, are taking part in the operation. 
It follows a series of recent attacks by the terror group raising concerns that the militants are staging a comeback in the country.
Baghdad declared victory over ISIS in December 2017 after a three-year military campaign against it.
At its height, the group controlled around a third of the country and neighbouring Syria.
But ISIS sleeper cells have exploited security gaps in recent months that have arisen from a territorial dispute between Iraq's central government and the autonomous Kurdish region in the north, and the withdrawal of US forces in a planned drawdown.