Iraq's PM-designate turns to 'unorthodox' online applications to fill cabinet

Iraq's prime minister-designate has turned to online applications as he struggles to fill ministerial positions and form a government before a 1 November deadline. 

The unprecedented moves comes as Adel Abdel Mahdi, a former Iraqi vice president, battles to overcome sharp party political differences and forge a viable governing coalition.

Abdel Mahdi was named prime minister on 2 October and, under the terms of the constitution, has until the start of November to form his government.

The new website gives would-be candidates a three-day opportunity - from Tuesday morning until Thursday afternoon - to register online for a ministerial post.

Applicants must register their personal data, indicate their political orientation and state whether they belong to any political party, according to the terms of registration found online.

Both men and women may apply. Applicants must have a university degree or equivalent qualification - a mandatory requirement for joining the government.

Candidates can then choose the ministry they wish to head and must write a short statement of their vision of what makes a "successful leader" and "how to manage teams effectively".

Applicants are also asked to set out in their vision statement how they would tackle the problems facing their ministry of choice and "practical solutions" for doing so.

Abdel Hadi, 76, is a veteran of Iraq's fractious political scene.

He is seen as an independent who brings years of experience to the job, culminating in a spell as oil minister under his predecessor Haider al-Abadi.

A Shia and native of Baghdad, the premier-designate is an economist by training and has the blessing of both of Iraq's feuding foreign power brokers - Iran and the US.

Iraq's outgoing prime minister, Haidar al-Abadi, had come under fire for his government's handling of major unrest in the southern city of Basra over poor public provisions as well as other issues.

Anger in Basra flared after the hospitalisation of 30,000 people who had drunk polluted water, in an oil-rich region where residents have for weeks complained of water and electricity shortages, corruption among officials and soaring unemployment.

Demonstrators set fire to government buildings, the Iranian consulate and the offices of pro-Tehran militias and political parties.