Sit-ins by supporters of the Sadrist movement led by Muqtada al-Sadr are continuing in Iraq - for the fifth day in a row - in the Iraqi parliament, in protest against the candidate of the coordination framework to head the new government, Muhammad Shiaa al-Sudani.

And Saleh Muhammad al-Iraqi, who is close to al-Sadr, announced yesterday, Tuesday, the evacuation of the parliament building within 72 hours, and the sit-in shifted to in front of and around parliament.

While the coordinating framework said that the failure of Mustafa Al-Kazemi’s government to address what he called chaos makes it part of the project to overthrow the prestige of the state, as he put it.

A statement issued by the Organizing Committee for the Coordination Framework Demonstrations called on members of the security services to be neutral, not to be drawn into political disputes, to abide by the law and the constitution, and not to allow those whom the committee called supporters of chaos to continue to bypass constitutional institutions.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi had called for bloodshed and the gathering of political forces to a real dialogue table.

He explained that the time has come to discuss mechanisms for launching a reform project agreed upon by the various national parties.

He added that the political forces should assume their national and legal responsibility, and that the demonstrators should cooperate with the security forces, respect and evacuate state institutions, and abide by public order.

We support the initiative of the Prime Minister to find a formula for a solution regarding the events taking place in the country, and we stress the importance of everyone sitting at the dialogue table and taking practical steps.

To resolve the current crisis, leading to parliamentary and local elections, according to specific timelines.

— Muhammad Al-Halbousi (@AlHaLboosii) August 2, 2022

Al-Kazemi’s initiative calling for dialogue was welcomed by most of the political forces in Iraq, as Parliament Speaker Muhammad al-Halbousi announced his support for the initiative, stressing the importance of sitting at the dialogue table to reach elections at specific times.

While the head of the Sovereignty Alliance, Khamis al-Khanjar, said that he supports Al-Kazemi's call to address what he described as the confused political situation.

While we renew our call for a comprehensive, fraternal Iraqi dialogue in Erbil, we affirm our support for Prime Minister Al-Kazemi's call for dialogue between the Iraqi political parties to find a way out of the current crisis and work together to bring the country to safety.

Iraq needs dialogue, understanding and joint responsibility to save it.

— Nechirvan Barzani (@IKRPresident) August 2, 2022

For his part, the President of the Kurdistan Region, Nechirvan Barzani, called for a comprehensive dialogue in Erbil and expressed his support for Al-Kazemi's initiative, to find a way out of the crisis.

In this context, the leader of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, Bafel Talabani, said that he welcomes the initiatives to normalize the Iraqi situation, calling on all political forces to put the interest of the people and the country above personal interests.


Calling for new elections

In light of the crisis the country is going through, 12 independent Iraqi political parties and movements representing the forces of democratic change called - yesterday, Tuesday - to dissolve the current parliament and hold new parliamentary elections under the supervision of the United Nations.

And the Democratic Forces for Change urged - in a joint statement - "the president of the republic, independent representatives and national forces to press for the dissolution of the current Iraqi parliament, and the formation of a government that enjoys political and popular acceptance, whose mission is to initiate practical steps on the path to change."

The statement called for "guaranteeing the fulfillment of the requirements for holding fair and impartial elections, under UN supervision, through the application of the Parties Law, in a manner that prevents corrupt parties and parties with armed arms from participating in the electoral process and guarantees the independence of the Independent High Electoral Commission."

The statement also asked the United Nations Mission in Iraq to "support the aspirations of the Iraqis to achieve a real democratic political system of government, and to sponsor the dialogues of its national political forces."

And he called for "reviewing the interpretations of the Federal Supreme Court in Iraq regarding the largest bloc and the quorum for the election session of the President of the Republic and the violation of constitutional timings."

The statement called on "all forces, parties, national figures, protest and popular movements, unions, unions, organizations and social actors to unite efforts, work to preserve the path of peaceful change, and prepare for a comprehensive national conference to form a national front for democratic change forces."

The democratic forces for change included the Iraqi Communist Party, the National House, the Social Democratic Movement, the Iraqi Ummah Party, the "I'm Going to Take My Right" movement, the Faili Front, the Iraqi House, the Promise Party, the Sons of Nahrain Party, the Democratic Current, and the Consultative Council of the Tishreen Democratic Movement.

The political crisis in Iraq began to escalate after the parliamentary elections last October with the faltering formation of a government until the Sadrist movement's deputies resigned from parliament. The crisis reached its climax with the passage of nearly 10 months, with the Sadrist movement declaring a sit-in in Parliament, which was met by the coordination framework with a popular demonstration.