Iraqi protesters divided over how to deal with new government

Text by: RFI Follow

The new government celebrates its first week of activity, leaving behind 5 months of political impasse. These first days were an opportunity to launch priority political initiatives and above all, to try to appease the anger of the population, which has always been raging since the beginning of October. In Baghdad, the demonstrators are dividing: some want to give the Prime Minister time to respond to their requests, others call for a massive resumption of the demonstrations. 

Publicity

With our correspondent in Baghdad, Lucile Wassermann

In the center of Baghdad, a few hundred demonstrators re-entered Tahrir Square. The curfew imposed by the government to fight against the coronavirus had almost emptied the roundabout, but the formation of the new government revived the challenge.

"  This government comes from the same political parties, which have killed, kidnapped and terrorized the demonstrators in the past 7 months. We do not want these parties and this political system.  "

In one week, the new Prime Minister has however multiplied the announcements to appease the anger . Protesters, arrested in recent months, have been released and General Abdel Wahab al-Saadi - whose ouster was one of the factors of the revolt - has returned to his post at the head of counterterrorism. 

Some protesters, like Hassanien, would like to give the new government a chance. "  I think that this Prime Minister can achieve certain things, like perhaps bringing to justice those who killed demonstrators, and respond to some of our requests.  "

The government, for its part, presents itself as a “transitional” government, the objective of which is to pass a new electoral law, to ultimately organize early elections.

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• Iraq

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