BAGHDAD — Tuesday’s news that Iraq’s fractious lawmakers were finally ready to seat a new government after nine months of political deadlock fell during a 40-day Muslim holiday of mourning. But even without this somber overlay, reactions to the news were muted.

“Several saw the new government as a product of the hand of the United States.” — John Leland, At War

Cynicism about promises from politicians has been strong since Saddam Hussein’s regime, and grew to new heights during the impasse, when political parties seemed to many voters to be quarreling over spoils rather than seeking to form an effective government.

In interviews around the country, voters – who had risked their lives to participate in the March election, against threats by terrorist to wreak carnage at polling centers – expressed more wariness than jubilation, while still relieved that they finally had a government in place.

Several saw the new government as a product of the hand of the United States.

Mosul

In the northern city of Mosul, which remains torn by sectarian strife that has receded in most of the country, Sawsan Ahmed, 45, a government worker, was grateful for the end of the impasse.

“I think the situations in Mosul will get better, especially the security side, because the politicians were always blaming the political troubles as a justification for all problems they face,” she said. A neighbor, Falih Hassan, 33, who is unemployed, said the onus was now on the politicians to make good on promises.

“We lived through months of suffering” marked by “deterioration in security, services and the economy,” Mr. Hassan said. Now, he added, the new ministers “have no excuses or reasons to turn against their duties to serve the people who gave them to these positions.”

Najaf

In the predominantly Shiite city of Najaf, home to one of the sect’s most sacred shrines, voters tempered any optimism with a helping of Iraqi wait-and-see.

“The same people who were against the government and attempting to weaken it by all means portrayed themselves as trouble solvers,” said Mohamed Hussein Ali , 41, a shop owner. “Now they are part of it. Let’s see what they will bring to the people. I hope they are honest.”

Amera Abbas, 38, a government worker in Najaf, placed qualified hopes in the new government. But she was not ready to call its next chapter a success. “We are so happy about what happened today, and we hope it will be the real start to a new stage and a real agreement between Iraq’s societies, who suffered a lot,” Ms. Abbas said. “The majority have participated in the government — now and let’s see what they will say if they fail.”

Anbar

In the largely-Sunni Anbar province, which supported the Iraqiya bloc and its leader, Ayad Allawi, the new government led by Mr. Allawi’s Shiite rival, Nuri Kamal al-Maliki negated their votes. Iraqiya won the most seats in the election, and for nine months insisted on the right to form the new government. But Mr. Maliki prevailed, and Mr. Allawi accepted the leadership of a still ill-defined strategic council to set policy.

For Ikram Rijab Abdullah, 38, the results left a bitter taste. “Our ambition was to form a government by Allawi and the important ministries to go to the Iraqiya bloc, because the it’s the only bloc that included patriotic people,” Mr. Abdullah said. “But what happened has disappointed us.” The haggling, he said, was pure politics, with most ministries going to “unqualified people.” He added: “We as citizens have done what we were supposed to do and what is happening nowadays has been imposed by American and regional interests.”

His neighbor, Anmar Saadi Al-A’ani, 34, was even less optimistic about the new government, which included many members of the previous cabinet. “We were hoping to see new faces pumping new blood into the heart of the new government and to be national names.” The chosen ministers, he said, did not reflect the country’s many qualified candidates.

Elsewhere, as well, voters expressed doubts that the new ministers were best qualified to govern.

Baghdad, Adhamiya

In the Baghdad neighborhood of Adhamiya, a Sunni stronghold, Nasir Mawlood, 53, a pharmacist, asked, “where are the technocratic ministers that they were talking about?” Mr. Mawlood said the previous ministers were more qualified and experienced in their fields, while the current ministers were chosen “to satisfy parties.”

Echoing a common complaint about the new cabinet, he said it was incomplete because Mr. Maliki did not name heads to the security ministries, which he reserved temporarily for himself, and because it “lacks the existence of woman,” even though women comprise 25 percent of the parliament.

Marwa Hamed, 30, who raises her children in the neighborhood, was disappointed that the government did not make available the new ministers’ qualifications and future plans, so voters could decide “whether they are qualified or not.”

Baghdad, Karada

In Baghdad’s Karada neighborhood, Sundus Alwan, 41, a teacher, said she was not satisfied with the new ministers because they were chosen “to satisfy the political blocs” rather than to put qualified people in office. She was especially upset that Mr. Maliki retained control of the security ministries and placed his allies in the ministries of higher education and scientific research. “I am sure this government is supported by the U.S. government despite all its crimes against Iraqis,” she said. “That means it is not a qualified and loyal government.”



Reporting was contributed by employees of The New York Times in Mosul, Najaf and Anbar, and in Baghdad in the Adhamiya and Karada districts.