BAGHDAD
- Former Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki is flipping his options to return to the position of prime minister, following the parliamentary elections scheduled for October 10.
Meanwhile, the return of the leader of the Sadrist movement, Muqtada al-Sadr, from his decision to boycott the elections was the most important obstacle.
Al-Maliki found in the Sadrist movement's withdrawal from the electoral race - announced by Muqtada al-Sadr last month - a great stimulus that fueled his desire to return to the first executive position in the country, after he spent 8 years there (2006-2014), where he made a series of statements regarding the Sadrists' absence from the elections. , and reduced the possibility that their withdrawal would trigger unrest again in the street, which in 2019 witnessed widespread protests that toppled the government of Adel Abdul-Mahdi and the approval of holding premature parliamentary elections.
He also modified his position towards the US presence in the country, by emphasizing Iraq's need for advisors and trainers, a discourse that varies in the adoption of the various Shiite political forces.
Al-Maliki said in a press statement, "Iraq needs expertise, intelligence and training. The non-combat US forces will be supportive and supportive of Iraq as well."
"We welcome the presence of these forces for the purposes of training, rehabilitation and maintenance of weapons, and we believe that the Iraqi forces have acquired sufficient experience to maintain security control," he added.
Al-Sadr reversed his decision he announced last month to boycott the legislative elections (Iraqi Press)
chest back
Al-Sadr surprised his political opponents, yesterday, Friday, by announcing his retreat from the decision to withdraw from the parliamentary elections, stressing the importance of strong participation.
In a press conference he held with dozens of candidates for the elections, he said that he had received a reform paper from the political forces that invited him to participate in the elections, adding, "The paper came in accordance with our aspirations, and the interest required that we run in the elections."
He continued, "We will contest the elections with determination and determination, and I find myself in need of you, and thank you to brother (Prime Minister Mustafa) Al-Kazemi."
Chihod considered that the chances of al-Maliki in the upcoming elections are very great (Iraqi press)
Weights Compass
The leader of the "State of Law" coalition and Parliamentary Representative, Muhammad Al-Shihoud, said that "the compass of weights indicates the chances of the leader of the State of Law coalition to gain the confidence of Parliament, as the Iraqi people remember what the State of Law accomplished during the tenure of the first and second government that Nuri al-Maliki occupied, and from that period until Now nothing has been done by governments after him."
Chihod added, in a statement to Al-Jazeera Net, that Al-Maliki's chances in the upcoming elections are very great, because the premiership needs the consensus of the political blocs, noting that most of those blocs do not mind Al-Maliki assuming a new prime ministership, given that he stands at the same distance from everyone, The country today needs someone to take it forward after going through several crises.
Observers believe that al-Maliki's ambition to return to head the government has hastened al-Sadr's decision to return to participate in the elections, as there is a persistent rivalry between the two parties.
Al-Kaabi suggested that an agreement was concluded between Al-Maliki and the leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, Massoud Barzani (Al-Jazeera Net)
Maliki and Barzani agreement
In turn, political analyst and academic Raad Al-Kaabi told Al-Jazeera Net, "There are many indications that Al-Maliki is taking advantage of any void in the Shiite community to fill it, and he has presented himself as the most present and the most fortunate."
Al-Kaabi added that an agreement appeared to have been concluded between al-Maliki and the leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, Massoud Barzani, during their recent meeting in Erbil, to share power, so that the presidency of the Republic belongs to the Democratic Party, and the prime minister to al-Maliki, or a person close to him.
He believes that the "Shiite-Shiite conflict" between al-Maliki and al-Sadr, apparently in these elections, will be resolved in favor of the former prime minister, noting that the latter's nominations for prime minister - in the absence of obtaining them personally - may go to Ali al-Adeeb, while the "Democrat" will nominate the Minister of Foreign Affairs. The current Fouad Hussein for the presidency.
Al-Maliki's political standing declined during the 2018 elections, in which his coalition (State of Law) won only 25 seats out of the 329 total seats in parliament, and the Sadr-backed "Sairoon" coalition won 54 seats.
The Sunni blocs, through the statements of their leaders, do not express a clear rejection of al-Maliki's assumption of the position of prime minister, despite the objections against him and his accusation of negligence towards the western provinces, which are dominated by the Sunni component, during his tenure as prime minister.
These blocs consider that the position of prime minister belongs to the Shiite component, and they do not care much about the person who will occupy it, provided that there is internal consensus.
Baglan: Barzani previously confirmed that there was no reservation about any figure from the Shiite component regarding assuming the premiership (Al-Jazeera)
For his part, the leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, Imad Baglan, told Al Jazeera Net, "Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani previously confirmed that there was no veto or reservation on any figure from the Shiite political component regarding assuming the premiership."
Baglan believes that the Iranian side does not have a veto over al-Maliki as prime minister of the next phase, and as for the American side, there is consensus between the administration of President Joe Biden and al-Maliki, and he believes that they will not mind him assuming prime minister.
Al-Masoudi considered that the position of prime minister would not be a purely Iraqi option in light of foreign interference (Al-Jazeera)
outside interventions
But Riyadh Al-Masoudi, a representative of the "Sairoon" alliance, believes - in an interview with Al-Jazeera Net before Al-Sadr announced the return to the elections - that it is not possible to talk now about the position of the next prime minister, and the inauguration of a personality for this position will not be a purely Iraqi option, in light of foreign interference.
He added that the number of seats for each of the political forces will determine the compass of the next prime minister, so it is the right of all political forces to demand that the position be theirs, indicating that what is currently taking place is part of early electoral marketing, as some political parties, foremost of which is the "state of law" have You get 12-15 seats.
Al-Masoudi added that al-Maliki and others have the right to seek the premiership, but "we are certain that the upcoming political map will differ radically from the current and previous ones because of the new arrangements in the region."
Regarding the rapprochement between Maliki and Barzani, Al-Masoudi explained, "Three years ago, the rule of law was describing the Kurdistan Democratic Party as (an advanced base for Israel) and many leaders of the state of law were speaking in such a tone, and there is nothing in Iraqi politics that is known as alliances, and what is happening in Iraq. A political movement to create new environments, and we do not have the concept of alliances and opposition.”
Al-Masoudi pointed out that "the regional and international pressure is the one who determines the compass of the political process, not symbols, personalities or the number of seats. As for those meetings, they are useless, because the international and regional element will be present and strong."