Iraqi crisis awaits solution after 10 months of fruitless elections
ERBIL, KRI, Iraq (North Press) – In the second week in a row, pro-Sadrist Movement protests continue in the Iraqi parliament amid talks about attempts to push the parties to adopt dialogue as a way to solve the crisis that is on the rise for more than 10 months.
Iraq is in a constitutional vacuum as a caretaker government leads the country after more than 300 days of snap judicial elections held in the country on October 10 with no government formed yet.
Last week, pro-Muqtad al-Sadr supporters stormed the parliament which was turned into a sit-in in rejection of the candidate of the Coordination Framework to lead the coming government.
However, it was soon revealed that demands of al-Sadr were not limited to the rejection of the figure to lead the government. He is being talking of regime change within what he dubs as a popular “revolution”.
On August 7, Speaker of the Parliament, Mohamed al-Halbousi and Prime Minister Mustafa al-Khadimi, held talks on ways to consolidate understandings to exit the current crisis.
Viewpoints were exchanged and the latest political and parliamentarian issues were discussed, in addition to ways to end the current crisis in the context of the initiative made by al-Kadhimi last week.
Prior to that, a meeting was held between al-Kadhimi and head of the National Wisdom Movement, Ammar al- Hakim on the current political developments in the country in which both parties emphasized to keep interests of citizens and state-run institutions away from differences of the political powers.
On August 6, it was revealed that Muqtada al-Sadr, leader of the Sadrist Movement, insisted to dissolve the Iraqi Parliament and to hold snap judicial elections in the country.
In a tweet, he called on his supporters to continue protesting until the demands he called for are met.
Calls made for dialogue by international parties to end escalation that could develop to a popular clash between the two Shiite groups (Sadrist Movement and the Coordination Framework) continue.
Lately, a report was released by North Press showing scenarios of the recent Iraqi crisis. One of the scenarios was heading towards holding new snap elections in a step to avoid a most grave one that could develop into a civil war.
Last week, al-Sadr announced in a televised speech, his rejection to dialogue with the Coordination Framework for a political solution calling for the dissolution of the parliament and to head to new snap elections.
After winning 73 seats in elections, al-Sadr seeks to form a majority government. He formed a trio alliance with the Sunni parties (al-Halbousi) and the Kurdistan Democratic Party, refusing to form a consensual government as the one sought by other Shiite powers allied in the Coordination Framework led notably by Nuri al-Maliki and Hadi al-Amiri.
As a result of the continued dispute to form a government that led to the inaction of the Parliament with no government formed, the Sadrist Movement withdrew in June in a step exploited by the Coordination Framework to form a consensual government to be led by candidate Mohamed Shiya al-Sudani. However, that was rejected by the Sadrist Movement whose supporters stormed the Green Zone to “liberate it”.
No breakthrough was made and the crisis continues more quietly followed by talks to hold snap elections requested by al-Sadr the move that was welcomed by Iraqi political leaders some of whom in dispute with the Coordination Framework.
Regarding Kurds, they were not spared from the struggle ongoing in Baghdad. The stance of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (PDK) goes in harmony with that of al-Sadr as it considered within the same alliance and with the Sunni parties led by al-Halbousi to form a majority government.
In contrast, and though not disclosed, Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (YNK) seems to side with the Coordination Framework and encourages a consensual government be formed.
The dispute between the two Kurdish parties lies in the running up to hold the post of the president of the republic. It dates back to 2018 after Barham Saleh was elected president at the expense of PDK’s Fuad Hussein who now serves as Minister of Foreign Affairs in the al-Kadhimi led government.
Iraqi political parties hold, in part, the two Kurdish parties accountable for the crisis as no understanding is being reached on a candidate to run for presidency as the Shiite agreed on a figure to lead the government.