Why is the Prime Minister submitting his resignation application now?
- He is leaving after one of the bloodiest days in the protests that have been going on for two months. Over 40 protesters have been killed over the past 24 hours. Iraq's influential Shiite leader Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani condemned the violence during Friday prayers and warned that it could lead to civil war. Al-Sistani rarely makes statements about politics, but he has a great influence on public opinion in Iraq. The press simply became too big for the prime minister.
What does this mean for the government in Iraq?
- The Prime Minister's submission of his resignation application to parliament means that the entire government resigns and that a new government must be appointed. There has always been a demand from the protesters for the Prime Minister to resign.
What happens to Iraq's defense minister?
- He is part of the government which must now resign. Several Iraqi media have reported on the defense minister's relationship with Sweden, but that issue has been overshadowed by the protests that crippled Iraq in recent months. A total of 380 people have been killed.
What do the protesters want?
- They have constantly demanded the resignation of the government and a complete change of leadership of corrupt politicians being replaced. We were in Baghdad last week and the protesters we talked to are young and feel cheated on their future. They live in a country rich in oil, yet large sections of the population do not have access to water and electricity. They demand jobs and Iran's influence over the Iraqi regime should diminish. Iran's Prime Minister is a Shia Muslim and has been close to Iran.