Iraqi PM to release list of corrupt government officials

Iraq’s Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi announced that he is in the process of publishing a list of corrupt government officials who will be referred to the judiciary "very soon".

Abadi stressed on the seriousness of responding to the demands of the protesters who swept Iraq's main cities on July 8, especially in southern Iraq, as people have vented their anger over unemployment, high prices, power cuts and a lack of water.

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Sources close to Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr who had a sweeping win in the recent parliamentary elections, said that al-Sadr identified the specifications required for the candidate who will run for the position of upcoming prime minister, if they want a guaranteed vote from his bloc.

The sources confirmed that documents created by Sadr's party stated that the coming prime minister has to be an independent figure and not represent any political factions or parties, as well as not being a current member of parliament.

The documents further mentioned that Sadr conditioned that the next prime minister must not have a dual nationality and not be suspected of financial corruption.

The Shiite leader also ordered political parties not to interfere in the work of the next prime minister, and to nominate five ministers for the position.

He also conditioned that the candidate that will head the next government should distance himself from sectarianism.

With these conditions, which reached about 40 according to the documents, analysts say that there is a weak chance that Abadi will be re-elected without Sadr's major bloc's support.

Political analyst Sanad al-Shammari told Al Arabiya English that “Abadi has become far from Sadr’s choices, which was disclosed through the documents,” revealing that Abadi has a British nationality, in addition to his Iraqi nationality, and that Abadi has not yet announced his withdrawal From the Dawa Party to meet the requirement of being an independent candidate.

Since Abadi declared victory over ISIS last December, marking an end to decades of conflict in Iraq, social grievances have boiled over in a series of protests.

After erupting in the oil-rich southern province of Basra on July 8, unrest has quickly spread to several cities.

Fourteen people have been killed in clashes between security forces and demonstrators, frustrated over the lack of basic services in what has been ranked one of the world’s most corrupt countries.

According to parliament the equivalent of $227 billion in public funds in Iraq, OPEC’s second largest crude exporter after Saudi Arabia, has gone missing through shell companies.

-With AFP