Iraqi PM announces crucial reforms in response to protests

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Sunday called for sweeping reform plan, including canceling the three vice presidential posts and the three deputy prime minister posts, as part of his response to recent demonstrations against corruption and poor services.

According to a statement issued by his office, Abadi's seven-point plan included reduction of ministries and agencies in order to increase efficiency in the performance of the government and reduce expenditures.

The plan called for immediate and comprehensive reduction the numbers of guards for all top and senior officials, including the the three presidents (state president, ministerial president and parliament speaker), ministers, members of parliament, provincial governors and provincial councils' members, in addition to other senior officials.

The measures included reduction of extra expenditures for the three presidencies and other government institutions in accordance with instruction to be issued later by Abadi, the statement said.

It also included that a number of sensitive government posts to be filled by political and sectarian independents, and that the appointments of such posts would be in light of competence and integrity standards, the statement added.

Abadi's move came after massive demonstrations in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad and several other cities in south to protest against slack public services, power shortage, and massive corruption.

Abadi's reforms also came after Iraq's most revered Shiite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani asked Abadi to be "more daring and courageous in his reforms."

"The government should make important decisions and take strong measures to fight corruption and achieve social justice. He should identify who is hampering the reform, whoever they are," Sistani said in his speech during the weekly Friday prayer in the holy city of Karbala, which was read by his representative Ahmed al-Safi.

Shortly after the call of Sistani, Abadi reacted and promised to follow Sistani's advice, calling for the other political parties to positively contribute to his reform plans, which aim at fighting corruption.

"I announce my total commitment to the directions of the religious Marjaiya (Shiite religious leadership), which has voiced the concerns and aspirations of the Iraqi people," Abadi said in a statement issued by his office on Friday.

Electricity supplies collapsed in the chaos after the U.S. invasion in 2003 when power plants were looted or not properly maintained. The infrastructure has also been repeatedly targeted by insurgents.

However, people believe that corruption and incompetence were the main reasons behind the failure rebuilding the country's economy and the public services, including the power sector.