Shafaq News..Iraq’s Al-Azm Alliance rejects plan to cut its cabinet share

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Al-Azm Alliance has refused a proposal to reduce its
expected share of Iraq’s next cabinet from two ministries to one following the
arrest of its leader, Muthanna al-Samarrai, over allegations of financial
corruption.

A political source familiar with the matter told Shafaq News
on Wednesday that an agreement reached after the previous parliamentary
elections had allocated the Ministries of Planning and Culture to the bloc. The
current proposal would instead give the alliance the Planning Ministry, while
assigning Culture to Al-Jamaheer Party, led by Ahmad Al-Jbouri, known as Abu
Mazen.

Al-Azm leader Ammar al-Azzawi denied that the alliance would
give up its claimed entitlement, saying its electoral and political share
reflected the will of voters and its supporters. “Al-Azm’s entitlement is the
Ministries of Planning and Culture,” al-Azzawi told Shafaq News, describing the
allocation as part of a political commitment by other blocs.

“We will not give up this entitlement under any circumstances
or pressure,” he said, noting that the alliance had understandings on the
matter with political partners from different blocs.

Al-Azm, led by al-Samarrai, received more than 127,000 votes
in the latest parliamentary elections, placing sixth among the competing
political lists. The alliance has said its expected share of the next cabinet
ranges from two to three ministries, including a sovereign ministry, in
addition to the post of deputy prime minister.

Security forces arrested al-Samarrai and several members of
his protection detail inside Baghdad’s Green Zone on June 28, 2026, as part of
what was then described as the “Dawn Crackdown.”