Pro-iran faction sticks to its pick for premier in Iraq
The main coalition of pro-iran parties in Iraq said it would keep its candidate for the post of prime minister, despite a backlash from its main rival.
The country is at a political impasse, with the two main Shiite groups clashing since October 2021 elections over who will be the next premier and how to appoint him.
The group headed by cleric Moqtada Sadr wants parliament dissolved and early elections, but the Co-ordination Framework alliance of pro-tehran factions wants a government to be put in place first.
On Monday, the Co-ordination Framework said it had reached an “understanding” with other political factions on how to proceed.
In a press release published by the INA state news agency, the Co-ordination Framework reiterated “its total commitment to its candidate presented for the post of Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia Al Sudani.”
The group’s nomination of Sudani as premier had previously angered Sadr, whose supporters stormed parliament in late July, demanding fresh elections. They then staged a weeks-long sit-in
The group headed by Sadr wants parliament dissolved and early elections, but Co-ordination Framework alliance wants a govt to be put in place first
outside the legislature. On Monday, the Coordination Framework claimed to have reached “understandings with the national forces.”
It said it would “continue dialogue with all the parties... to form a government endowed with full powers.”
The Co-ordination Framework also welcomed a declaration by Sunni-backed parliament speaker Mohammed Al Halbussi and the Democratic Party of Kurdistan (KDP).
On Sunday these two factions had reiterated their support for “early elections,” but preceded by “the formation of a government.”
Iraq’s latest crisis culminated at the end of August with Sadr supporters clashing with the army and the Iran-backed factions.
More than 30 Sadr supporters were killed and hundreds wounded in nearly 24 hours of violence that ended when he called on his supporters to pull out and announced he was retiring from politics.
Under Iraq’s constitution, parliament can only be dissolved by an absolute majority vote in the House, following a request by one-third of deputies, or by the prime minister with the approval of the president.
Iraq’s top court ruled that it does not have the legal right to dissolve parliament, a much anticipated decision that raises the stakes in the country’s unprecedented 11-month political crisis.
The ruling by the Supreme Federal Court states the court does not have the authority under Iraq’s constitution to dissolve the legislature, which was a key demand by influential Sadr.
Sadr’s bloc won most votes in parliamentary elections last October but he has been unable to form a majority government.
His followers stormed the parliament in late July to prevent their rivals from Iran-backed Shiite groups from forming the government.
With ensuing rallies, clashes with security forces, counter-rallies and a sit-in outside parliament, the government formation process has stalled.
Al Sadr has now been calling for the dissolution of parliament and early elections and has been in a power struggle with his Iran-backed rivals since the vote.
The decision by the court - which had delayed ruling on Al Sadr’s demands amid concerns over more unrest - effectively rejects al-sadr’s demand and further deepens the stalemate between the cleric and his rivals.
It puts the onus on Iraq’s lawmakers, who could potentially assemble and dissolve the legislature, something Al Sadr rejects.
Ater the ruling, Iraqi security forces closed the gates to the heavily fortified Green Zone in Baghdad - the seat of the government and the centre stage for Iraq’s political crisis - anticipating a reaction from Al Sadr’s followers.
Last week, at least 30 people died in clashes over two days between Al Sadr’s loyalists and security forces, bringing Iraq to the brink of street warfare.
The hostilities came to a halt when Al Sadr ordered his supporters to withdraw.
Al Sadr’s rivals in the Co-ordination Framework, an alliance of mostly Iran-backed Shiite parties, said they were not opposed to early elections but insisted the parliament meet to vote on a new electoral law and dissolve itself.