Iraq Parliament to Vote Monday on PM-elect's Cabinet

BAGHDAD

Iraqi parliament is scheduled to be convened on Monday night to vote on Prime Minister-designate Haider al-Abadi's proposed cabinet, the parliament speaker Selim al-Jabouri's office said on Sunday.

State television also reported the tentative plan to hold the session. The approval of the cabinet could still be delayed amid last-minute wrangling and brinkmanship over posts.

The make-up of the cabinet has still not been revealed, but Abadi is expected to include representatives of all the country's religious and ethnic components in a bid to save Iraq from collapse.

If a government is not agreed, this will mean a return to the start of the contentious process, leaving Iraq rudderless at a time of crisis.

The prime minister designate was picked on August 11 as a replacement for outgoing Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who dropped his bid for a third term after Shi'ite, Sunni and Kurdish political blocs rejected him.

The prime minister has until September 10 to submit his government for approval, or Iraq's president must select another candidate for premier.

Undone by Islamic State group

Maliki, who won the most votes of any candidate in April's national election, was undone by the Islamic State group's seizure of large sections of northern Iraq and the almost total collapse of the Iraqi military almost three months ago.

About one-third of the country is under Islamic State domination, while the self-rule Kurdistan region continues to examine whether or not to declare independence.

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Iraq Parliament to Vote Monday on PM-elect's Cabinet