of eight candidates from competing for the position of the Iraqi Oil Ministry, following differences over the portfolio that was assigned to the southern Basra province.

"8 out of 24 MPs withdrew today, from the nomination of a person in charge of the Ministry of Oil," noting that " these deputies authorized Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi to nominate a person from Basra, who is efficient, honest and experienced in the oil field,” a source told Shafaq News Agency.

"The withdrawing deputies are Amer Al-Fayez, Muzahim Al-Tamimi, Jamal Al-Muhammadawi, Faleh Al-Khazali, Intisar Al-Musawi, Uday Awad, Methaq Al-Hamidi and Jabbar Al-Luaibi,” the source added.

A list of names, leaked by representatives in the Iraqi parliament from Basra Governorate two days ago, revealed about 49 candidates competing for the position of Oil Minister.

Al-Kadhimi delegated the task of choosing a candidate for the position of Oil Minister to the representatives of Basra Governorate in parliament, after they boycotted the voting session for the new government, demanding this position, considering it from the entitlement of the richest oil province in the far south of Iraq.

After midnight Wednesday (May 6), the Iraqi parliament voted to grant confidence in the ministerial curriculum to the government of Mustafa Al-Kadhimi and 15 ministers in the cabinet, but five candidates did not obtain these, and they are the Ministries of Trade, Agriculture, Culture, Immigration and Justice.

The parliament also postponed voting on the candidates of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Oil until further, due to the lack of agreement to nominate the candidates.