Iraqi Prime Minister Muhammad Tawfiq Allawi has launched consultations on forming the new government, starting with disgruntled protesters before political blocs. Allawi, assigned by Iraqi President Barham Salih, will face the toughest challenge in gaining the Iraqi parliament’s vote of confidence. Political figures told Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper that Allawi will soon form a team to negotiate with the political blocs and anti-government protesters in Baghdad, and central and southern provinces. Negotiations will focus on a vision on which mechanisms to adopt in forming the new cabinet and whether political parties and blocs will have a direct role in naming ministers or the choice will be left to the newly-appointed prime minister, the political figures added. An official said that while the Shiite blocs commit to leaving the choice to the PM, Kurds and Sunnis insist on their right to have a say in the distribution of ministerial portfolios. These concerns are coupled with Allawi’s efforts to have the popular movement represented in the cabinet by more than half of its members, in addition to granting portfolios to women. Asharq Al-Awsat learned that the prime minister-designate has formed teams to follow-up the protests in various provinces. He has also held meetings with leaders from the popular movement, paving the way for normalizing ties between demonstrators and the authorities for the first time since people took to the streets in October. Saeroun MP Raad al-Maksusi affirmed that the majority of lawmakers are willing to grant their confidence vote to Allawi. He stated to the press on Wednesday that all political parties should leave the choice for the PM to name ministers. Deputy for State of Law Coalition Mansour al-Baiji urged Allawi to choose his cabinet away from the pressure exerted on him by political parties and blocs. He added that the prime minster-designate is in this position now because of the bloodshed that paved way for a decision on implementing reforms and eliminating corruption. That’s why he should fulfill the promises he made to the people and form a non-partisan cabinet, said Baiji. The MP stressed that this is a delicate phase in Iraq and there is no room for procrastination and under the table deals.