MALIKI CENTRALIZES POWER

[charlie911]

Wed, Jan 19 2011Critics alarmed as Iraq's Maliki centralizes power

Tweet ThisShare on LinkedIn Share on Facebook0diggsdiggRelated TopicsWorld »

By Ahmed Rasheed

BAGHDAD | Sun Jan 23, 2011 12:03pm EST

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has won a court ruling placing independent bodies like the central bank and the electoral agency under the cabinet, a centralization of power that critics are calling a "coup."

Maliki's government made the request to the supreme court in December before he was reappointed later that month to a second term, and the court ruling in his favor came through last Tuesday, generating little controversy at first.

The independent agencies affected are supposed to be monitored by parliament according to the constitution, hastily drawn up in the chaotic aftermath of the 2003 U.S.-led invasion.

Maliki argued that where the language describing parliament's monitoring powers over the agencies was ambiguous, the bodies should be attached to the cabinet. The court agreed.

The main agencies affected are the Central Bank of Iraq, the Independent Higher Electoral Commission, anti-corruption watchdog the Integrity Commission and the High Commission for Human Rights.

"The court views that the term 'monitoring by' is not clear enough to place these under parliament's authority, therefore they should be attached to the cabinet," the ruling said.

The decision alarmed critics who view with suspicion glimpses of authoritarian leanings in some of Maliki's actions.

The democracy bestowed on Iraq by U.S. administrators after Sunni dictator Saddam Hussein was ousted is fragile and unique in a region accustomed to strongmen and presidents for life. Its future is murky as U.S. forces prepare to withdraw this year.

"We consider the request of Nuri al-Maliki to the court to be a coup against the constitution that puts Iraq's democracy on the line," said Haider al-Mulla, a member of parliament and spokesman for the Sunni-backed Iraqiya bloc.

CRITICISM OF MOVE

Iraqiya, led by ex-premier Iyad Allawi, won the most seats in an election last March but was unable to muster the majority needed to form a government. It ended up a junior partner in the new government formed by Maliki, a Shi'ite.

Legal experts and analysts decried the supreme court decision, which a judicial spokesman said could not be appealed.

"Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki is seeking more powers to control his government. He wants to have a strong government," said a prominent lawyer, Tariq Harb.

Amman-based researcher Yahya al-Kubaisy of the Iraqi Center For Strategic Studies called it an "unforgiveable mistake."

"It's a clear bid by Maliki to monopolize powers," he said.

The cabinet groups more than 40 ministerial positions from various political parties, not all allied to Maliki, following torturous horsetrading over nine months to form the government.

Some officials supported the court ruling, saying ambiguity over parliament's powers of supervision had allowed some of the independent agencies to be hijacked by political interests.

Deputy Central Bank Governor Ahmed al-Buraihi said the decision should have been made a long time back and would not affect the bank's daily operations.

"Aren't central bank decisions of importance to the cabinet? Shouldn't the cabinet care about an institution that manages $60 billion and which manages its overseas funds?" he said.

Maliki media adviser Ali al-Moussawi said the criticism was an attempt to cast the government in a bad light and undermine its efforts to be strong. Maliki has said a strong government is needed to fight a weakened but still deadly insurgency.

"There was a flaw and conflict between the work of these independent commissions and the work of the executive authority ... the government sought to solve this issue through legal channels," Moussawi said.

(Additional reporting by Aseel Kami and Haider Najm; Writing by Michael Christie; Editing by Matthew Jones)

Edited January 23, 2011 by charlie911

[All-In-4-RV]

Wow... I'm not sure what to say ! This sounds like something REALLY bad! Can somebody elaborate? Thanks!

[captspiffy]

Simply sounds to me to be another tactic to hold up everything as he has been doing for quite

a while. The Parliment should hold him to the dates and if he doesn't stick to it, they should drop

him along the road, and allow Allawi to form the gov't.

IMO, It is boiling down to Maliki can not form, period. I believe this was Allawi's thought process

all along. He knew Maliki couldn't get the votes needed to form. With that in mind, once the 25th

of January goes by without a formed gov't by the constitution, Maliki is bound to step a side........

according to the Iraq constitution.

Let's see if this happens on Tuesday. Either the gov't is formed or Maliki is gone.........

Good luck on our investment.........

[5jcklee]

If i'm not mistaken, wasn't the 25th date for Dec 2010, not Jan 2011?

[Bull Dog]

Do we have a solid link. Can't believe anything anymore without one. Don't beleive this.

[charlie911]

wow a -1 for reporting news.

here is your link http://reut.rs/ewn7uT

reuters dated 1-23-11

Edited January 24, 2011 by charlie911