Former Iraqi minister emerges as vice president candidate
Shafaq News- Al-Anbar
Former Iraqi Industry Minister Khalid Battal has emerged as a candidate for vice president in place of Taqaddum (Progress) Party leader Mohammed Al-Halbousi, a source in Al-Anbar's Provincial Council told Shafaq News on Monday.
According to the source, recent political negotiations have shifted support toward Battal, potentially replacing Al-Halbousi in the proposed arrangement.
For his part, political analyst Abdullah Al-Dhiban told Shafaq News that the vice presidency would give its holder political standing and symbolic influence while keeping them close to the country's decision-making circles.
However, he warned that filling the position without broader political consensus could intensify competition among Sunni political factions. He added that creating or reactivating senior government posts amid economic pressures could further erode public trust unless they served a clear purpose and delivered tangible improvements in government performance and accountability.
On Sunday, an informed source told Shafaq News that political blocs were considering reactivating two vice-presidential posts under a preliminary agreement within the State Administration Coalition.
The earlier proposal named Al-Halbousi and Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) chief Falih Al-Fayyadh as candidates. Under the proposed arrangement, the officeholders would receive only their basic salaries, without additional office allocations or new government positions.
Last Thursday, Iraq's parliament approved three deputy prime ministers under Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi and 11 ministerial appointments, leaving the Ministry of Migration and Displacement unfilled.
