BAGHDAD, Dec 20: Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki overcame last-minute bickering within his fragile coalition on Monday and submitted his new Cabinet, clearing a key hurdle to seating a government more than nine months after national elections.

But nearly one-third of the nominees were only acting ministers, an attempt to buy time to work out disagreements with a key part of al-Maliki’s coalition — the hardline Shia faction loyal to anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.

Parliament was expected to vote on the list of 42 ministers and other top government posts as early as Tuesday, according to Speaker Osama al-Nujaifi, a member of the Sunni-backed Iraqiya alliance that won the most seats in the March 7 election and, until this month, bitterly fought al-Maliki from keeping his job.

Flanked by al-Maliki at a joint news conference on Monday night, al-Nujaifi said the prime minister had met his constitutional deadline to designate Iraq’s new leadership.

“I am very happy today,” a clearly relieved al-Maliki told reporters. “What has happened today is new evidence that we, as Iraqis, cannot continue our differences forever.”

Although 13 of the posts were filled with acting ministers until a final agreement could be reached before a Saturday deadline, al-Nujaifi’s endorsement suggested that Iraqiya was on board.

The Sadrists were another matter. They were promised eight of those jobs but also demanded another _ the transportation ministry _ and a deputy premiership. Al-Maliki rejected some of the Sadrist candidates because he said they were uneducated or otherwise unqualified.

Al-Maliki will serve as the acting minister for the nation’s top three security posts to give lawmakers more time to ensure they are filled with politically independent officials, said government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh.—AP