Sadr, Barzani Seeking Alliance to Lead New Iraq Govt

Masoud Barzani welcomes the Sadrist delegation. (Rudaw)
Masoud Barzani welcomes the Sadrist delegation. (Rudaw)
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Sadr, Barzani Seeking Alliance to Lead New Iraq Govt

Masoud Barzani welcomes the Sadrist delegation. (Rudaw)
Masoud Barzani welcomes the Sadrist delegation. (Rudaw)

Iraqi parties are scrambling to forge new alliances that may create changes in the current political arena or at least revive old partnerships as the country edges closer to holding early parliamentary elections in October.

The instability in the country may, however, force the postponement of the elections. This possibility has not impeded the parties, which are preparing themselves to both hold the elections on time or bracing for their delay to their constitutional date of May 2022.

Amid these preparations, a delegation from the Sadr movement held talks in Erbil this week with head of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) Masoud Barzani and President of the Kurdistan Region Nechirvan Barzani. The delegation was led by Nasar al-Rubaye, head of the movement's political body.

The surprise meeting between the largest Shiite party, the Sadrist movement, and largest Kurdish party, the (KDP), may pave the way for an alliance that may upend the political scene in Iraq. Whoever joins the alliance will have the upper hand in the formation of the new government after the polls.

The Sadrists are expected to emerge as victors in the elections, and therefore hold sway over the formation of the government or appointment of a prime minister, who does not necessarily have to be a member of their movement.

Beyond the government level, a Sadrist-Kurdish alliance may hold sway over the three presidencies (president, prime minister and parliament speaker) in Iraq. According to the 2003 constitution, the president is always a Kurdish figure, the speaker is always a Sunni Arab and prime minister a Shiite.

If influential Shiite and Sunni figures join the potential Sadrist-KDP alliance, then they may control who is named to the three presidencies, regardless of their sect, confirmed observers.

To clarify, they cited Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi, leader of the largest Sunni bloc in the western provinces, openly speaking of the desire of Sunni Arabs to assume the presidency. In return, the position of parliament speaker would be occupied by a Kurdish figure.

The sticking point would be persuading the two major Kurdish parties in the Kurdistan Region – the KDP in Erbil and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan in Sulaymaniyah – to agree to the switch before even agreeing with Baghdad on the issue.

More time, however, is needed for alliances to take shape.

Another noticeable development, was head of the Hikma movement, Ammar al-Hakim’s visit to the disputed Kirkuk province. His movement does not hold sway in the province, which is predominantly Kurdish and Turkmen with a Christian minority, but he may be attempting to garner its support during the polls.



Lebanon: Mikati Says Diplomatic Efforts 'Intensify' to Secure Ceasefire

Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati speaks during a press conference in the presence of Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Lebanese Druze leader Walid Jumblatt (not pictured), in Beirut, Lebanon October 2, 2024. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir
Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati speaks during a press conference in the presence of Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Lebanese Druze leader Walid Jumblatt (not pictured), in Beirut, Lebanon October 2, 2024. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir
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Lebanon: Mikati Says Diplomatic Efforts 'Intensify' to Secure Ceasefire

Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati speaks during a press conference in the presence of Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Lebanese Druze leader Walid Jumblatt (not pictured), in Beirut, Lebanon October 2, 2024. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir
Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati speaks during a press conference in the presence of Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Lebanese Druze leader Walid Jumblatt (not pictured), in Beirut, Lebanon October 2, 2024. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir

Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati on Thursday said that diplomatic efforts are ongoing to pressure Israel into halting its offensive on Lebanon.
He said that contacts have “intensified” in the past hours ahead of a session of the United Nations Security Council, aiming once again to achieve a ceasefire and increase pressure to stop the "Israeli aggression" on Lebanon.
He noted that “discussions are ongoing between the United States and France, which has requested the convening of the Security Council, with the goal of reviving a declaration for a temporary ceasefire to facilitate the resumption of talks on political solutions."
Hezbollah began firing rockets into northern Israel on Oct. 8, 2023, the day after Hamas’ surprise attack into Israel ignited the war in Gaza. Hezbollah and Hamas are both allied with Iran, and Hezbollah says its attacks are aimed at aiding the Palestinians. Israel has carried out airstrikes in response and the conflict steadily escalated, erupting into a full-fledged war last month.
Israel has inflicted a punishing wave of blows against Hezbollah in recent weeks and says it will keep fighting until tens of thousands of displaced Israeli citizens can return to their homes in the north.
More than 1,300 people have been killed in Lebanon and over a million displaced since the fighting escalated in mid-September.