Negotiations between the Iraqi Islah and al-Binaa blocs, led by populist cleric Moqtada al-Sadr and Hadi al-Ameri, failed on Friday to reach an understanding over the candidacy of Falih al-Fayadh for the interior ministry post.
A leading official from the Binaa bloc told Asharq Al-Awsat that it has no other option but to vote for Fayadh’s candidacy at a parliament session, expected to be held on Saturday.
“We failed to reach any deal with the Islah bloc,” the official said on conditions of anonymity.
He added that the decision was not related to Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi’s stance.
“We know that until this moment, Abdul-Mahdi is still committed to Fayadh’s candidacy,” the official said.
Spokesman for Sadr’s Sairoun bloc, Hamdallah al-Rikabi told Asharq Al-Awsat: “The issue for us is not about individuals, but about principles and Iraq’s stability.”
“Iraq will remain more important than any figure and we presented principles and values that should be adhered to in nominating ministers,” he went on to say.
“Security ministries and positions are very important for the country’s stability and we must be wise in choosing a candidate,” he stressed. “We had previously stated that those with experience in security agencies are most qualified in managing these ministries.”
On Tuesday, parliament approved three out of five ministers put forward by Abdul-Mahdi, bringing him one step closer to completing his cabinet.
Meanwhile, the supreme religious reference in Najaf called on Iraqi political forces to place national interests above their personal ambitions.
During the Friday prayers in Karbala, Sheikh Abdul Mahdi Karbalai, the representative of Iraq's top Shiite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, called on politicians to “consider the overall interests of the Iraqi people over personal ones related to tribal or sectarian affiliations.”
