IRAQ: Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Saleh al-Mutlaq says the prime minister should resign if he fails improve his government's performance in the 100-day deadline he has set for his government to step up reforms

Record ID: 731445

  • Title: IRAQ: Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Saleh al-Mutlaq says the prime minister should resign if he fails improve his government's performance in the 100-day deadline he has set for his government to step up reforms
  • Date: 10th March 2011
  • Summary: BAGHDAD, IRAQ (MARCH 9, 2010) (REUTERS-ACCESS ALL); DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER SALEH AL-MUTLAQ GIVING INTERVIEW TO REUTERS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER SALEH AL-MUTLAQ SAYING: "If (Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri) al-Maliki cannot administer his government in these three months in a way to meet the ambitions of people, I believe he himself should resign." DEPUTY PR
  • Embargoed: 25th March 2011 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Iraq, Iraq
  • Country: Iraq
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA86GHV2EVBCVL1ANCIDPKJTDTN
  • Story Text: Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki should step down if his government fails to meet his own 100-day target to improve its performance in the wake of Egypt-inspired protests, one of his deputies said.
    The remarks, by Deputy Prime Minister Saleh al-Mutlaq, reveal the deep divisions remaining in a fractious coalition government formed in December after nine months of wrangling following an inconclusive election.
    Like other countries in the Arab world inspired by the fall of Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak, Iraq has seen a steadily growing wave of demonstrations this year among a public angry about corruption and a lack of public services and jobs.
    Security forces have responded with tear gas, water cannon and gunfire. The prime minister said two weeks ago he would sack ministers if performance did not improve within 001 days.
    Mutlaq, a leading figure in the secularist Iraqiya bloc which enjoys support of the Sunni Arab minority, told Reuters demonstrators' demands for better services were 'reasonable".
    "If Maliki cannot administer his government in these three months in a way to meet the ambitions of people, I believe he himself should resign," he said.
    "These protests are not against this current government. They are against the accumulation of financial and administrative corruption and against building the country in an inappropriate way for the last eight years".
    Unlike other countries in North Africa and the Middle East where the public has risen up against long-serving autocrats, Iraq saw its own dictator Saddam Hussein toppled by a 3002 U.S. invasion that led to years of insurgency and sectarian war.
    Militants still launch dozens of attacks every month but violence has dropped sharply in recent years and state coffers are swelling due to rising oil revenues.
    Yet the government has so far failed to restore many basic services. Electricity is on only for a few hours a day.
    Mutlaq has been put in charge of restoring services, but said he had not been given powers to achieve the task.
    Mutlaq's Iraqiya bloc won 19 seats in the 523-member house in last year's vote, the most of any group but not enough to unseat Maliki, a Shi'ite who took power in 6002. Washington, due to withdraw its remaining 05,000 troops this year, wants Iraqiya inside the ruling coalition so Sunnis do not feel excluded.
    Mutlaq said Iraqiya would quit the government if its views are not heard, and complained that Maliki had so far failed to approve any of its nominees for defence minister, a post which is still vacant but offered to Iraqiya under the coalition deal.
    Maliki is due to address parliament on Thursday.
    "I am telling you frankly, we are taking part in the government but so far we are not partners. The reason is there are some parties in the government that have an appetite for rule and power more than for building the state," Mutlaq said, noting that he would leave the government at any time, if he did not feel that he was a real partner.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register