Iraq Economic News and Points To Ponder Sunday Afternoon 5-17-26
The Leader Of The Shiite National Movement, Al-Sadr, Calls For Preserving The Country's Resources And Ensuring A Decent Life For The People By Meeting Their Needs
latest news Sunday, May 17, 2026 Baghdad – One News The leader of the Shia National Movement, Muqtada al-Sadr, made a phone call to Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, congratulating him on the formation of the government and urging him to preserve the country's sovereignty and improve public services.
Al-Sadr's media office stated that he urged al-Zaidi to stand firmly against corruption, protect the country's resources, and ensure a decent life for the Iraqi people by providing services, meeting their needs, and safeguarding their rights.
https://1news-iq.net/زعيم-التيار-الوطني-الشيعي-يدعو-إلى-الح/
Al-Mada: Al-Sudani is working with his allies to form a second bloc within the framework supporting the government with approximately 170 seats
latest news Sunday, May 17, 2026 Baghdad – One News It appears that al-Sudani is trying to establish himself as the new leader within the Shiite community, following the decline of al-Maliki's influence, according to those close to him.
Sources quoted by Al-Mada newspaper indicate that Al-Sudani is working with his allies to form a second bloc supporting the government, with about 170 seats, but it appears less cohesive so far, and has not settled on a clear political name.
These developments came after the House of Representatives voted to grant confidence to only 14 ministers out of the 23 portfolios that the government is supposed to be formed from, while the decision on nine ministries was postponed, and the shares of the most prominent wings of the framework were absent from the new government, most notably Asaib Ahl al-Haq, which sources indicate has encountered an American veto, while it is trying to convince Washington to change its position. https://1news-iq.net/المدى-السوداني-يعمل-مع-حلفائه-على-تشكي/
Iraq Cabinet Posts Distributed Unfairly, Al-Sudani’s Bloc Says
2026-05-17 / Shafaq News- Baghdad The Reconstruction and Development parliamentary bloc, led by former Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, on Sunday said Iraq’s new cabinet was formed through an unfair distribution of ministerial posts, despite the coalition winning the largest share of seats in the November 2025 elections with 46 lawmakers.
According to the bloc, “some factions” –without specifying– received positions exceeding their parliamentary and political weight, while Reconstruction and Development did not secure representation matching its electoral standing. Despite its objections, the coalition did not obstruct the government’s formation out of “national responsibility” and concern for state stability.
Reconstruction and Development Coalition
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In an official statement...
The Reconstruction and Development Bloc congratulates the government on its formation and looks forward to it being an extension of the path of reconstruction, development and political stability.
The bloc affirms its commitment to working within the framework of coordination, adhering to the national path, and working with partners for a stable Iraq in which the aspirations of its people are realized.
Below is the text of the bloc's official statement:
Statement issued by: Parliamentary Reconstruction and Development Bloc
The Reconstruction and Development Parliamentary Bloc congratulates the honorable Iraqi people on the formation of the new government, and looks forward to this government being an extension of the path of reconstruction, development and political stability, and achieving prosperity for our great Iraq.
Since its inception, the bloc has carried a political project based on prioritizing the supreme national interest, and during the government formation negotiations, it stressed the need for ministries to be run by capable and independent professional competencies, far removed from the quota system that burdened previous governments and weakened the performance of state institutions.
However, the outcome of the government formation negotiations revealed a clear imbalance in the distribution of ministerial posts. Some blocs received positions disproportionate to their actual parliamentary and popular weight, while the Reconstruction and Development bloc did not receive representation commensurate with its electoral and political size.
Nevertheless, the bloc did not obstruct the completion of the government formation, driven by its national responsibility and commitment to the stability of the state.
In light of these political factors, the voting session witnessed a clear divergence in the positions of a number of the bloc’s deputies towards some of the government cabinet ministries, a position stemming from respectable political and parliamentary convictions, and reflecting the nature of the responsible assessment of the government scene and its balances.
The bloc also affirms that its respected partners in the National Pact obtained their parliamentary representation in the Ministry of Agriculture, based on their political size of 11 parliamentary seats, in accordance with their political and constitutional convictions.
At the same time, the Reconstruction and Development bloc was keen to preserve the presence and entitlement of its respected partners in the Sumerians Movement, which has 5 parliamentary seats, within the parliamentary and political weight of the Reconstruction and Development bloc.
We express our full respect and appreciation to our aforementioned partners, and we value their great efforts during and after the election phase, and we wish them every success in any decision they make, and in any course of action they see as serving the national interest.
The Reconstruction and Development Bloc, in its commitment to the forces of the Coordination Framework, affirms its steadfast position of continuing within the project of the state and the nation, working and cooperating with the nation's partners for the sake of Iraq and the Iraqis, and consolidating its principles based on prioritizing supreme national interests, in accordance with its enduring motto:
Iraq first… always and forever.
The bloc will remain supportive of every step that promotes stability, reform and development, in a way that preserves the prestige of the state and protects the aspirations of the Iraqi people.
Parliamentary Reconstruction And Development Bloc
Baghdad — May 2026 The bloc added that it had pushed during coalition negotiations for ministries to be managed by “competent and independent” figures rather than through quota-sharing arrangements that had weakened previous governments and state institutions.
Although the bloc revealed divisions during Thursday’s parliamentary confidence vote, with several lawmakers opposing specific ministries based on “political and parliamentary convictions,” it reaffirmed its commitment to the Shiite Coordination Framework, which holds around 162 seats in Iraq’s 329-member parliament and nominated Ali Al-Zaidi for prime minister.
Earlier, the National Contract bloc led by Popular Mobilization Forces chief Faleh Al-Fayyadh and the Sumariyoun Movement headed by former Labor Minister Ahmed Al-Asadi announced their withdrawal from the Reconstruction and Development coalition, accusing the alliance of marginalization and exclusion.
However, the bloc said the National Contract alliance received representation through the Agriculture Ministry based on its 11 parliamentary seats, while the five-seat Sumariyoun movement remained represented within Reconstruction and Development’s broader parliamentary coalition.
Parliament approved 14 ministers in Al-Zaidi’s cabinet on Thursday, while votes on nine key portfolios were postponed until after the Islamic holiday Eid Al-Adha following political disputes and US warnings against including armed factions in the new government.
Read more: Ali Al-Zaidi sworn in as Iraq's prime minister with a program already failed
https://www.shafaq.com/en/Iraq/Iraq-cabinet-posts-distributed-unfairly-Al-Sudani-s-bloc-says
Former MP Files Conflict-Of-Interest Complaint Against Iraqi PM, Electricity Minister
2026-05-17 Shafaq News- Baghdad Former Iraqi lawmaker Raed al-Maliki on Sunday filed a formal complaint accusing Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi and Electricity Minister Ali Saadi Wahib of conflicts of interest linked to ongoing business dealings and financial claims involving state institutions.
The complaint was submitted to the Integrity Commission’s (CoI) Department of Prevention and the Public Prosecution Service, with copies sent to parliament’s Integrity and Legal committees, according to a statement by al-Maliki. He called on the relevant authorities to compel both officials to disclose their financial interests and remove the alleged conflicts.
According to al-Maliki, Article 20/Second of Iraq’s CoI and Illicit Gains Law No. 30 of 2011, as amended, requires officials in such cases either to relinquish those interests or leave office within 90 days.
The media offices of the prime minister and the electricity minister offered no official statement regarding the allegations.
On May 5, Iraq's Federal Supreme Court registered the first legal challenge to the constitutional validity of al-Zaidi's designation as prime minister-designate. The case was also filed by al-Maliki, acting in his capacity as a private citizen and independent political figure.
. رائد المالكي / نائب مستقل
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Today morning, Sunday 17 / 5 We made an official report to the Integrity Authority / the Department of Defense and the Public Prosecution, and we felt all of:
- Representative Integrity Committee
- The Parliamentary Legal Committee
Regarding the conflict of interests of the Prime Minister (Ali Al-Zaidi) and the Minister of Electricity (Ali Saadi Wahib) for having ongoing contracts with the government and ministries and debts against them, which constitutes a conflict of interests prohibited by law.
We asked for legal action to be taken by the Mouma obligation to disclose the interests they have with the government and eliminate the conflict, in accordance with the Integrity and Illegal Profit Authority Act No. 30 of 2011 the rate (20/second), it must: either waive these interests, or resign the position within 90 days.
The Minister Of Finance Chairs A Meeting Of Directors General And Emphasizes: The Current Phase Requires Exceptional Action.
Baghdad Today - Baghdad:Finance Minister Faleh Sari chaired a meeting of general managers on Sunday (May 17, 2026) and stressed: The current stage requires exceptional work.
The Ministry of Finance stated in a statement received by “Baghdad Today” that “Following the commencement of his duties, the Minister of Finance, Faleh Sari, chaired today an expanded meeting that included the Directors General in the Ministry’s headquarters and its affiliated formations, to discuss the priorities of the next stage and mechanisms to enhance financial and administrative performance.”
The minister stressed, according to the statement, that "the current situation requires exceptional work, highly efficient management, and financial discipline," emphasizing "the importance of unifying efforts and working as a team to confront the current economic and financial challenges."
Sari called for "maximizing public revenues in the ministry's affiliated bodies and departments, in order to contribute to fulfilling the state's financial obligations, in light of the challenges related to energy markets and the decline in the country's oil exports to unprecedented levels."
The minister stressed the need to "adopt clear time limits for completing files," emphasizing that "the current stage requires officials who have the ability to diagnose problems and provide practical solutions, and that the standard for a manager's success or failure will be achievement and taking responsibility." https://baghdadtoday.news/299420-.html