Iran’s parliament began debating on Monday the 18-member cabinet proposed by President Hassan Rowhani ahead of a vote of confidence later in the week.
Addressing lawmakers at the start of the session, Rowhani said his priority in office was to tackle the country’s economic crisis, as well as its disputed nuclear programme in a bid to lift the several rounds of Western sanctions that have hit the country’s economy hard.
Rowhani unveiled his all-male cabinet of technocrats on 4 August but his nominations must be confirmed by the conservative-dominated parliament in a process that has several stages. The new president must first present his programme and defend his choice of ministers to parliament, after which five MPs will defend the government and five others challenge it.
After this supporters and opponents of each minister will speak before the vote of confidence on Wednesday, which will be for every minister individually rather than the cabinet as a whole. The ministers of education, science and universities, housing and oil have been criticised for their roles in the demonstrations post- 2009 re-election of Ahmadinejad.
Addressing lawmakers at the start of the session, Rowhani said his priority in office was to tackle the country’s economic crisis, as well as its disputed nuclear programme in a bid to lift the several rounds of Western sanctions that have hit the country’s economy hard.
Rowhani unveiled his all-male cabinet of technocrats on 4 August but his nominations must be confirmed by the conservative-dominated parliament in a process that has several stages. The new president must first present his programme and defend his choice of ministers to parliament, after which five MPs will defend the government and five others challenge it.
After this supporters and opponents of each minister will speak before the vote of confidence on Wednesday, which will be for every minister individually rather than the cabinet as a whole. The ministers of education, science and universities, housing and oil have been criticised for their roles in the demonstrations post- 2009 re-election of Ahmadinejad.