BAGHDAD — Three tense months after
legislative elections,
Iraq’s parliament has finally held its inaugural session
— but opening debates swiftly descended into furious arguments between Shiite
factions.
اضافة اعلان
In multi-confessional and multi-ethnic Iraq, the
formation of governments has involved complex negotiations ever since the 2003
US-led invasion toppled dictator Saddam Hussein.
Parliament only met for the first time since the
October 10 vote on Sunday, after Iraq’s top court rejected a complaint of
electoral irregularities filed by the Shiite and pro-Iran
Hashed Al-Shaabi, a
former paramilitary alliance.
Political analysts warn there are still several hard
steps ahead before the formation of a new government.
Iraq is trying to emerge from almost two decades of
conflict but is mired in corruption, economic crisis, and with threats of
violence lingering.
What sparked anger
at opening?
The newly-elected members of
parliament met for a swearing-in ceremony and to elect their speaker, but
debate soon turned ugly.
Videos filmed by MPs showing lawmakers becoming
verbally aggressive with each other, highlighting divisions between Shiite
groupings.
Iraq’s post-election period has been marred by high
tensions, violence and allegations of vote fraud.
One of parliament’s first tasks must be to elect the
country’s president, who will then name a prime minister tasked with forming a
new government.
Shiite cleric
Moqtada Sadr, who once led an anti-US
militia and who opposes all foreign interference, has repeatedly said that the
next prime minister will be chosen by his movement.
It won the largest share with 73 out of the
assembly’s 329 seats, more than a fifth of the total.
But the Coordination Framework, including pro-Iran
groups such as the Fatah (Conquest) Alliance, the political arm of the
pro-Tehran Hashed Al-Shaabi, insist their coalition is bigger.
The Coordination Framework claimed they can muster
the backing of 88 lawmakers to make them the largest bloc.
That prompted fury from Sadr’s movement. In the
ensuing chaos, MP Mahmud Al-Mashhadani, the oldest member of parliament who was
therefore chairing the opening session, was taken ill.
One lawmaker alleged Mashhadani was “attacked”,
state media said he fainted, and he was rushed to hospital where he was
reportedly in a stable condition.
When the parliamentary session resumed an hour
later, lawmakers re-elected as speaker influential Sunni MP Mohammed
Al-Halbussi of the Taqadom party.
Coordination Framework MPs boycotted the vote.
Who will be the next
prime minister?
No single party holds an
outright majority, so the next leader will be voted in by whichever coalition
can negotiate allies to become the biggest bloc.
In previous parliaments, parties from Iraq’s Shiite
majority have struck compromise deals to work together and form a government.
But Sadr has hinted he prefers an alliance with
Sunni groups including Taqadom as well as the
Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP).
“In theory, they could push through and have their
president elected and their prime minister designated,” said political
scientist Hamza Haddad.
One leader in the Shiite Coordination Framework,
speaking on condition of anonymity, admitted that if Sadr presses ahead with a
coalition including Sunni parties and the KDP, they will be able to choose the
government.
However, if Sadr works with Shiite parties as in past
parliaments, then the Coordination Framework “will have the upper hand”, the
leader added.
If the Coordination Framework had a choice, a
leading contender would be ex-prime minister Nuri Al-Maliki, a figure close to
Iran whose own group won 33 seats.
Maliki would be unthinkable for Sadrists.
They, however, have not put forward any name to
replace current Prime Minister
Mustafa Al-Kadhemi, who has not clearly said
whether he wants to remain in power.
Khademi, a former intelligence chief, is Shiite like
all his predecessors. He was confirmed in the last parliament by a coalition of
Shiite-majority lawmakers.
What are the risks of conflict?
“As long
as the two Shiite sides remain divided, that could lead to more violence,” the
political analyst Haddad said.
There has already been unrest following the
election.
Kadhemi escaped unhurt when an explosive-packed
drone hit the prime minister’s residence in November during what his office
called an “assassination attempt.”
No group has claimed the attack.
“It is difficult to see either side quietly allowing
the other to lead a government formation without the other,” Haddad added,
noting that both Sadr and the Conquest Alliance have armed backers.
“The biggest fear would be fighting,” he said.
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