BAGHDAD - Iraq’s parliament expects to vote on a new government on Saturday, the speaker told lawmakers on Wednesday, signalling the prime minister was close to a deal on a cabinet line-up.As parliament wound up for the day, one member asked speaker Mahmoud Al Mashhadani if the next session, scheduled for Saturday, would include a vote on the government. Mashhadani replied: “That’s what we have from the prime minister’s office; we’ve had a note saying the prime minister wants to present his government to parliament on Saturday.”
A source close to Prime Minister-designate Nuri Al Maliki said he hoped to be able to finalise the line-up of a national unity coalition on Thursday, four days ahead of a deadline. Parliament must approve the appointments before the government, IraqÂ’s first full-term, sovereign administration since the US invasion of 2003, can take office. With most parties expected to be represented in cabinet, the vote is likely to be a formality.
MalikiÂ’s 30-day deadline for forming a government expire on Monday. Although minority Sunni, secular and other parties, including members of MalikiÂ’s own Shia Islamist bloc, said publicly they were still holding out for concessions, negotiators said agreement was close.