"Prime Minister Haider Abadi orders the suspension of the electricity minister amid the deterioration of electricity services and until an investigation is completed," the statement said.
Protests in southern Iraq began on July 8 in the port city of Basra. The situation worsened after the death of one of the demonstrators protesting against chronic unemployment as well as electricity and water supply disruptions.
Demonstrations later spread to other provinces in the south of the country — Maysan, Karbala, Najaf, Dhi Qar and Babil.
On Friday, Shiite spiritual leader Ali al-Sistani, who had earlier supported the protests, said that the country needed to hurry up with the formation of a new government and called on the authorities to fulfill the promises previously given to the protesters. Abadi has said he supports the call of the Shiite leader.
