Talk about an Iranian move... The crisis of forming a government in Iraq is taking another turn

[yota691]

Talk about an Iranian move... The crisis of forming a government in Iraq is taking another turn

 

Free / Special - Washington

July 31, 2022

 

 

Protesters stormed the Iraqi parliament Saturday for the second time in days.

The political crisis in Iraq entered a new stage, with supporters of the Sadrist movement storming the parliament building, on Saturday, for the second time within days. Observers believe that the dispute between the Shiite political forces is no longer linked to the issue of rejecting or accepting the candidate of the coordination framework for the prime minister.

Since the early elections were held about 10 months ago, the country has been suffering from a political stalemate due to the failure of the political forces to choose a President of the Republic and a Prime Minister.

The withdrawal of al-Sadr's bloc from Parliament in the middle of last month, led to the "Coordination Framework", an alliance that includes Shiite parties backed by Iran, to obtain more seats. It began working on the nomination of a new prime minister, as the largest parliamentary bloc.

Al-Sadr carried out threats to provoke popular unrest if Parliament tried to approve a government that reproduces the state of rampant corruption in state institutions.

And on Saturday, the Iraqi security forces tried to confront the demonstrators of the Sadrist movement in the Green Zone by firing tear gas canisters, which led to the injury of 125 people, including 25 soldiers, according to the Iraqi Ministry of Health.

Street power

The political crisis in Iraq has gone beyond the issue of "nominating the coordinating framework of Muhammad Shia Al-Sudani as prime minister, as Al-Sadr wants to impose political reforms by force of the street," according to what the political analyst writer, Aqil Abbas believes.

Abbas said, in response to Al-Hurra's inquiries, that "the coordinating framework adheres to its position in choosing a new prime minister, although there is information indicating that the commander of the Quds Force in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, Ismail Qaani, requested the withdrawal of Al-Sudani's nomination, and the nomination of a figure accepted by Al-Sadr." .

Abbas believes that what is happening in the Iraqi political scene "worries Iran, which is trying to push the coordination framework to conclude a deal with al-Sadr."

Media writer Mazen al-Zaidi pointed out in an interview with Al-Hurra that "the political process and the current map have parliamentary constitutional legitimacy, and any change in it needs early elections, which everyone rejects," describing the news of an Iranian initiative as "incorrect."

He continued, "The coordination framework adheres to its constitutional right to form a government, as it is the largest parliamentary bloc," considering that what is happening is "an attempt by a political team that wants to divert the constitutional path, and impose its will on everyone."

According to the description of the head of the Center for Political Thinking, Ihsan Al-Shammari, "the political crisis represents a struggle between two parties within the Shiite component of the country, one of which wants to continue the quota approach, and the other wants to impose a new reality through the voice of the majority."

In an interview with Al-Hurra, Al-Shammari believes that "Al-Sadr withdrew from Parliament and turned to the popular opposition that disrupted any political step for the coordination framework, and paralyzed their political movements."

The position of prime minister in Iraq is traditionally attributed to a Shiite figure who is chosen by consensus among the Shiite political forces that dominate the political scene.

On Saturday, protesters removed concrete barriers and entered the Green Zone, which includes government buildings and the headquarters of foreign missions, before storming the parliament headquarters.

Activists and pages on social media circulated videos of demonstrators inside the Green Zone and under the dome of Parliament, but Al-Hurra could not verify its authenticity.

 

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Al-Shammari added that Al-Sadr's movements in the Iraqi street "raised the ceiling of confrontation, which prompted Qaani to come to Iraq about 3 days ago." Shiite.

Abbas downplays fears of a "Shiite-Shiite clash", as they are "exaggerated", according to his opinion, and are brandished in every political crisis. He points out that Al-Sadr wants to send a message to the parties to the coordination framework that they do not have "popular bases" that would qualify them to be unique in the political scene.

On the other hand, Al-Shammari warns of the possibility of "a real clash between the two parties, as Al-Sadr is pushing his audience into the street, and the coordinating framework has begun to mobilize his audience as well."

The Coordinating Framework Alliance called on its supporters, on Saturday, to “peacefully demonstrate” to defend “the state and its institutions,” while supporters of the Sadrist movement were demonstrating in the Green Zone, but the framework returned and postponed the demonstrations “to further notice and to give time for dialogue and positive political solutions to ensure unity and avoid sedition.” and miss the opportunity for the plaintiff."

The framework announced the formation of a negotiating team to "discuss with all political forces regarding the formation of the government and the completion of the constitutional entitlements."

Meanwhile, pictures circulating on Iraqi communication accounts showed that the protesters were busy blocking the entrance to the Iraqi parliament with "bricks". The Sadrist movement had announced that the demonstrators who stormed the parliament building began an "open sit-in" inside it. 

 

Protesters block parliament building with bricks

The Speaker of the Iraqi Council of Representatives, Muhammad al-Halbousi, directed the Parliament’s protection force not to attack the protesters and not to harm them. And decided to suspend Parliament sessions until further notice.

Inside Parliament, some protesters sat on luxurious black sofas, while others chose to sit at wooden tables, and some of them spread blue and red carpets that covered the floor, according to what the pictures show.

 

Iraqis inside parliament

 solving the crisis

The caretaker Prime Minister, Mustafa Al-Kazemi, stressed, on Saturday, the need to see a comprehensive national solution and dialogue to resolve the crises in Iraq, calling on the political blocs to "dialogue and understanding, and to stay away from the language of treason and exclusion, and urged restraint and endurance of difficulties and hardships."

And political analyst writer Aqil Abbas believes that there is no solution to the political crisis without reaching a "deal and agreement with the Sadrist movement", or by agreeing to hold "early elections without the need to amend the law at the current stage, and to maintain Mustafa Al-Kazemi's government."

He pointed out that the information indicates that "there are increasing voices even within the coordination framework for holding early elections, but they want to change the election law before that."

Since he announced the resignation of his deputies from parliament, Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr has been reminding his opponents, in the coordinating framework, that he still enjoys a wide popular and influential base in the Iraqi political scene. 

The head of the Center for Political Thinking, Ihsan Al-Shammari, rules out the possibility of resolving the current crisis without “the coordination framework waiver of its candidate, choosing an independent figure for prime minister away from the quotas, and preparing for new elections, or it is possible to keep the Al-Kazemi government until the elections.”

Media writer Mazen al-Zaidi says that "the solution to the political crisis lies in respecting the constitution and the political map that was formed under the umbrella of the legitimacy of the law," and believes that "there are wide options to reach a solution by granting al-Sadr his share of the ministries," away from the caretaker government.

Local and international parties called for calm, restraint, and non-slip into violence. The United Nations mission in Iraq said that "voices of reason and wisdom are necessary to prevent the escalation of violence."

The US Embassy in Iraq expressed concern about reports of violence. And she continued in a statement, Saturday, saying: "We join our voice in calling on the Iraqi political parties of all stripes to adhere to restraint, avoid violence and resolve their political differences through a peaceful process in accordance with the Iraqi constitution."

Free / Special - Washington

[ametad]

That’s a great summary of the current situation. Perhaps the Iraq / Iran political alliance is shifting. Maybe Iranian support will be there as a good neighbor should, but without the current power brokers running the shots. And al-Sadr can hold a firm hand in having Iraq for Iraqis wile not allowing Iranian or American influence on the deep core level he desires. This could develop and unfold very favorably for the whole of Iraq.