Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and his predecessor, Nouri al-Maliki, will run in the upcoming elections on two separate roasters, despite both taking part in the Islamic Dawa Party.
Dawa Party neutralists say that this separation offers diversity will benefit the party and for the State of Law Coalition, because there are those who support Abadi and do not back Maliki, and vice versa.
The State of Law Coalition is an Iraqi political coalition formed for the Iraqi governorate elections, 2009 by the Prime Minister of Iraq at the time, Maliki.
Due to disagreements with the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq and the Sadrists, the Dawa Party decided not to join the Iraqi National Alliance for the Iraqi parliamentary election, 2010, but run in their own coalition: the State of Law Coalition.
Opponents, some of whom are pro-Abadi and against Maliki, and vice versa, see that the reason for the separation between the two key figures is the ‘number one’ complex.
“Maliki rejected conditions Abadi imposed, which sees his name on the top, while Maliki goes in second, or to present guarantees on supporting Abadi for a second mandate,” a senior official told Asharq Al-Awsat.
The party list dilemma inhibits on many roasters in the making and elections in general.
“Differences between Abadi and Maliki do not stop at registration in a single electoral list, but to original rising of Abadi to prime minister, contrary to the Maliki’s desire --which got further rooted in the last four years since Abadi’s inaugural,” a source speaking under conditions of anonymity said.
“When Abadi imposed the above mentioned conditions on Maliki, knowing the stubborn man he is, he knew Maliki would refuse, leading up a justified exit from the coalition’s electoral the list dubbed (Victory),” the source explained.
Iraqi parliament and local elections are slated for May 12th. Though the election commission had set last Thursday for closing the door for the registration of electoral alliances, it did not announce the closure officially.
