Sep 11, 2014

Iraqi Turkmen: Turkmen Frustrated over Iraqi Ministerial Allocation


The Iraqi Turkmen Front voiced their dissatisfaction with the distribution of ministers in the new Iraqi Government. The Iraqi Turkmen received a single seat despite being the third largest ethnic group in the country, constituting approximately ten percent of the population.

Below is an article published by World Bulletin:

Iraqi Turkmen Front leader and Kirkuk deputy Arshad al-Salihi is disatisfied with the newly-formed Iraqi government claiming they are under-represented with only one ministerial seat.

His remarks came after the new government, led by Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, was officially established on Monday [8 September 2014] after receiving a vote of confidence from the Iraqi parliament.

"Only one seat was allowed for a Turkmen minister in the new cabinet. The Turkmen people of Iraq were once again disregarded during the formation of the government," claimed Salihi.

He said Turkmen Muhammad Mahdi al-Bayati from a Shiite group, the Badr Organization, won the seat of the Human Rights Ministry in the government only after the Iraqi Turkmen Front put pressure on the Shiite-dominated Iraqi National Alliance, an electoral bloc of politicians from Iraq's leading Shiite parties.

The Turkmen leader called upon al-Abadi to allocate one more ministerial seat to the Turkmen Front.

He further argued that the demand from Iraq's Muttahidun Coalition leader and former Sunni Parliamentary Speaker Osama al-Nujaifi, to have a Turkmen vice presidential seat was ignored.

Salihi said the Sunni Arab coalition, which gained 77 MP seats in April 30 elections, "regret" that Turkmen have only one minister in the new government.

"After this phase, Turkmen politics in Iraq must reform and reconsider the coalitions it allies with," he added.

The Iraqi Turkmen leader stressed that Turkmen won 12 seats in the 2010 general elections in Iraq. "Only nine seats in the April 30 elections is a political loss for the Turkmen people," he concluded.

In the new central government of Iraq, 17 ministries were given to Shiites, seven to Sunnis, and four to Kurds, while one ministry was given to minorities during Monday's [8 September 2014] long debate at parliament.

The new Prime Minister, Haider Al-Abadi, was named as prime minister by President Fuad Masum on August 11 and was assigned to form the new government of Iraq, ending former PM Nouri al-Maliki's eight-year rule.