Iraq: Shiite Factions Scramble to Win Parliamentary Majority After Withdrawal of Sadrist Movement

Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr on a billboard in Baghdad’s Sadr City district, June 21, 2021. REUTERS/Ahmed Saad
Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr on a billboard in Baghdad’s Sadr City district, June 21, 2021. REUTERS/Ahmed Saad
TT

Iraq: Shiite Factions Scramble to Win Parliamentary Majority After Withdrawal of Sadrist Movement

Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr on a billboard in Baghdad’s Sadr City district, June 21, 2021. REUTERS/Ahmed Saad
Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr on a billboard in Baghdad’s Sadr City district, June 21, 2021. REUTERS/Ahmed Saad

An announcement made by Moqtada al-Sadr that he won’t run in Iraq’s parliamentary elections has increased the chances of those seeking to postpone the early polls scheduled for Oct. 10 to their constitutional date in April 2022.

Sadr’s Sairoon bloc is the biggest in the Iraqi parliament with 54 out of 329 seats.

Several other prominent factions and parties have recently announced their rejection to run in the elections, including the Iraqi Communist Party, the Iraqi Forum Movement led by Ayad Allawi, the National Dialogue Front led by Saleh al-Mutlaq, the Iraqi Republican Gathering of Saad Asim al-Janabi, and others.

A well-informed Iraqi politician told Asharq Al-Awsat that the priority was now to hold the elections in October.

Setting this date was part of the commitment made by Prime Minister Mustafa to hold early elections, deal with the foreign presence in Iraq, reveal the killers of demonstrators during protests that erupted in 2019, as well as address the economic crisis and confronting the Covid-19 pandemic, said the politician.

The Iraqi premier has now set an early date for the elections, achieved progress in the assassinations case, and reached an agreement over the withdrawal of the US combat forces in Iraq by the end of the year.

While none of the Shiite factions and parties have announced their support or rejection of Sadr’s position, the surprise came from the leader of the State of Law Coalition, Nuri al-Maliki, Sadr’s most prominent opponent.

In a statement on Thursday, Maliki announced that the parliamentary elections would not be postponed and would take place on time. He also declared his rejection of an “emergency government because it means a rebellion against democracy and the principles of parliamentary transfer of power.”



Iraq Urges Trump to Strengthen Security Coordination

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani (Government Media)
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani (Government Media)
TT

Iraq Urges Trump to Strengthen Security Coordination

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani (Government Media)
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani (Government Media)

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani congratulated US President Donald Trump on returning to the White House, while the Shiite-led Coordination Framework ignored the occasion.

Instead, Coordination Framework officials focused on calls for a ceasefire in Gaza and domestic issues.

In his message on Tuesday, al-Sudani’s gesture seemed to clear the way for Iraq to move past the arrest warrant issued for Trump in 2021 over the 2020 killings of Qassem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.

The Iraqi judiciary stated at the time that the arrest warrant was based on Article 406 of the Iraqi Penal Code and that investigations into other individuals involved, whether Iraqi or foreign, would continue.

This week, Iraqi activists shared an image of the judicial decision, sparking debate on social media about the fate of the arrest warrant now that Trump has returned to the US presidency.

Some argued that the warrant would remain a point of embarrassment for those who pushed for its issuance.

Nevertheless, Sudani congratulated Trump, expressing Iraq's interest in strengthening ties with the US through the Strategic Framework Agreement, focusing on mutual interests.

He emphasized the importance of promoting regional and global stability, security, and development.

Sudani reiterated Iraq’s commitment to its strategic relationship with the US and expanding cooperation in security, economics, culture, technology, investment, and sustainable development, while respecting sovereignty and avoiding interference in domestic affairs.

President Abdul Latif Jamal Rashid also congratulated Trump on his re-election, affirming Iraq’s support for security and stability in the region and the world, and for enhancing bilateral relations to benefit both nations.

In contrast, the Coordination Framework refrained from mentioning Trump in its statement following a meeting held in Baghdad on Monday night into Tuesday, coinciding with the inauguration ceremony in Washington.

Instead, the coalition congratulated the Palestinian people on the Gaza ceasefire and urged the international community to ramp up efforts to rebuild war-torn areas, assist displaced people, and address the destruction of infrastructure, particularly hospitals and schools.

The Coordination Framework also highlighted consensus among the Iraqi parliament’s leadership, calling for support for provincial governors in fulfilling their duties.

While praising the government's successful foreign visits, Coordination Framework officials emphasized the importance of maintaining Iraq’s balanced foreign policy.