Baghdad | October 15, 2026

On Thursday evening, October 15, 2026, the Iraqi Council of Representatives voted to fill vacant and newly created ministerial positions, as well as deputy prime ministerial posts, in the government of Prime Minister Ali Faleh Al-Zaidi. The parliamentary session was attended by 261 MPs.

The vote included the appointment of three deputy prime ministers and 11 ministers, covering the portfolios of Interior, Defense, Planning, Higher Education, Construction and Housing, Labor and Social Affairs, Youth and Sports, Culture, Tourism, Digital Economy and Governance, Science and Technology, and Minister of State.

Newly Established Ministries

According to a statement from Parliament’s Media Department, the newly established portfolios include Digital Economy and Governance, Science and Technology, and Minister of State. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism was split into two separate ministries.

Names of Ministers Approved by Parliament

Parliament voted to appoint:

• Yasser Abd Sakhil Mohammed Al-Maliki (son-in-law of Nouri Al-Maliki) — Minister of Interior.

• Nayef Mukayef Shannan Al-Shammari — Minister of Defense.

• Qutaiba Ghazi Majeed Hameed — Minister of Planning.

• Haider Bahaa Sahib Al-Husseini — Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research.

• Yassin Mohammed Hamad Al-Issawi — Minister of Culture.

• Rebaz Mohammed Abdullah Hamlan — Minister of Construction, Housing, and Public Municipalities.

• Mohammed Raad Juwair Al-Mousawi — Minister of Labor and Social Affairs.

• Safaa Mahdi Saleh Al-Kinani — Minister of Youth and Sports.

• Mohammed Sahib Al-Darraji — Minister of Digital Economy, Governance, Science, and Technology.

• Ali Abdul Hadi Mohammed Al-Dakhili — Minister of Tourism.

• Mohammed Samaan Kanaan Youssef — Minister of State.

The three deputy prime ministers are:

• Mohsen Ali Akbar Al-Mandalawi — representing the Al-Asas Alliance.

• Laith Hadi Sayyid Al-Khazali (brother of Qais Al-Khazali) — representing Asa’ib Ahl Al-Haq.

• Mohammed Ali Tamim — representing the Taqaddum Party.

Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi informed Parliament that the deputy prime ministers would receive no salaries or financial allowances, and that no new appointments would be created for their offices.