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Iraqi Parliament Unanimously Approves Government Reforms

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FILE - Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi addresses the media during a news conference.
FILE - Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi addresses the media during a news conference.

Iraq's parliament on Tuesday unanimously approved Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's proposed government reforms to tackle corruption and cut spending.

Abadi proposed the changes on Sunday, including elimination of the largely symbolic offices of three vice presidents and three deputy prime ministers.

Abadi's plan also calls for ending party and sectarian quotas when choosing officials, reducing the number of bodyguards assigned to officials and reopening corruption investigations.

In a message on his Facebook page, the prime minister said he would "continue in the path of the reform even if it costs me my life."

The government faced weeks of protests against mismanagement and a lack of services, including frequent power outages made worse by a recent heat wave.

Iraq's top Shi'ite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, also called for Abadi to do more to fight corruption.

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