Late on Friday night, shortly before the session to elect a new parliament speaker in Iraq, political discourse shifted towards candidates' associations with the former leader, Saddam Hussein.
Iraqis on social media shared an old video featuring Mahmoud Mashhadani, a contender from the Azem Alliance. In the video, Mashhadani praises Saddam, saying, “There is no leader for Iraq’s Sunnis after Saddam Hussein.”
Bloggers also circulated a video of Shalan Al-Karim, a candidate from the Takadum Party, from 2013 during the Anbar province protests, where he expresses sympathy for Saddam.
Using such videos to discredit opponents during elections is a political norm, but it has intensified among Iraqi Sunni factions.
The Iraqi Constitution banned the Baath Party in 2005, and in 2016, the Parliament passed a law penalizing affiliation with and promotion of the party.
Mashhadani (Azem Alliance), Al-Karim (Takadum Party), and Salem Al-Issawi (Al-Siyada Alliance) are prominent contenders for parliament speaker, succeeding the ousted Mohammed al-Halbousi.
Since November, Iraq’s Parliament has been without a speaker after al-Halbousi was dismissed on forgery charges.
These indicators in local public opinion suggest a rise in Al-Issawi’s chances, backed by businessman Khamees Al-Khanjar, who is younger than Mashhadani (aged 76) and Al-Karim, 56.
Al-Issawi is an up-and-coming politician who has kept a distance from the intense rivalry between Sunni and Shiite factions in Iraq.
However, the Al-Siyada Alliance, which Al-Issawi is a part of and is led by Al-Khanjar, has faced backlash due to the characterization of ISIS militants as “revolutionaries” in 2014.
Observers believe that Al-Khanjar has managed to navigate these challenges, forming political alliances with both Sunni and Shiite groups, securing significant seats in recent elections.
However, the question of whether he will win over the post of parliament speaker remains uncertain.
Twisting Facts
Responding to what he termed “public opinion campaigns,” Al-Karim issued a statement, addressing the re-circulation and manipulation of a video accusing him of promoting the banned Baath Party.
The candidate for the speaker ‘sposition condemned the reposting of the video as “an unscrupulous and disrespectful act.”
“This video resurfaced in 2014 during the legislative elections, used as evidence in a complaint against me, leading to my disqualification by the Accountability and Justice Commission,” reminded Al-Karim.
“Back then, I filed an appeal against the decision, and the Judicial Appeals Board acknowledged that the video was edited to tarnish my image,” he added.
He believes that the recent reposting of the video aims to obstruct his parliamentary duties. Al-Karim cautioned against entities trying to revive tensions and societal divisions.
On the other hand, the second candidate, Mashhadani, refrained from commenting on the controversy surrounding his past remarks about the Baath Party and the former regime’s leader.
Ahead of the speaker election session scheduled for Sunday, Iraqi Sunni parties haven't agreed on a candidate. Meanwhile, Shiite coordination forces are leveraging this division to elect a candidate aligned with their interests.
