Iraqi parliament approves sweeping reform plan

The Iraqi parliament on Tuesday approved a package of crucial reform plan presented by Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi in response to recent demonstrations against corruption and poor services.

The session opened with the presence of 297 out of 328 members of parliament who unanimously voted in the first package of reforms submitted by the head of Council of Ministers Haider al-Abadi during its extraordinary session on Sunday.

The parliament approval came after Abadi called for seven-point reform plan, including canceling the three vice presidential posts and the three deputy prime minister posts.

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