Online portal allows anyone to apply for ministerial posts
108 views · Published 28 October 2018 · 2:54 · Indexed 29 September 2026
Channel: AP Archive · 2018 · News & Politics
(23 Oct 2018) LEADIN: Iraq's Prime Minister-designate has opened an online portal where anyone can apply to run an Iraqi ministry. It's part of a campaign promise to bring new faces into the government. STORYLINE: By day social worker and philanthropist, Hisham al-Dahabi spends his time working with orphans and other disadvantaged children in Baghdad. But soon his professional role could grow considerably. He's one of thousands of people who have applied online to run an Iraqi ministry. It's part of Iraq's Prime Minister-designate Adel Abdul-Mahdi's campaign promise to bring new faces into the government. To form his cabinet, Abdul-Mahdi opened an online portal for anyone to apply to run Iraq's 22 ministries, posts that have come to be associated with patronage and personal gain. At first al-Dahabi was reluctant to apply. But when the pressure from friends and supporters grew too great, he applied to be the Minister of Labour and Social Affairs. "This is not really my desire but it's the wish of the people who nominated me for this position via social media," he says. "So, I thought it's a moral duty to respond to the people's demands." Within days, the Prime Minister's office received more than 15,000 applications, according to local media, hardly surprising in a country with unemployment stuck over 20 percent. They've offered interviews to 601 candidates. Still, many here are sceptical that Abdul-Mahdi can change how business is done. Many political parties have their own militias and threaten to disrupt Iraq's fragile stability if they do not get the ministries they desire. In Iraq's corroded civil service system, the parties that hold the ministries often stuff them with their supporters and direct funds to their bases and the businesses of friends. "Based on our political experience from 2003 until today, the Iraqi politicians and political parties did not serve this country and its people as much as they serve their interests to gain funds and privileges," says Yahya al-Hafiz, Activist, a member of the Peace and Solidarity Organisation in Baghdad. Some are asking whether it is wise to appoint political neophytes to the highest positions of government. But others, such as civil servant Alaa Khudiar, see the online portal as a fairer and more representative method: "To apply for ministerial positions electronically is a positive step in order to get rid of political quotas and get rid of the political blocs that failed over a period of 15 years," he says. By law, Abdul-Mahdi has until 2 November to appoint his ministers. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/ You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/a37cdf9d3a32faed8cc0d3ea05cb3d3f
