Where do the forces of October stand from the raging Iraqi crisis between the ruling parties?

Baghdad -

Tishreen forces and movements view the ongoing demonstrations in Iraq, with anticipation and neutrality, on the grounds that these sit-ins and protests are affiliated with political forces that have dominated the scene of governance in the country since the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime, despite the Tishreen forces' agreement with the basic principles and demands that he announced his quest to achieve. The leader of the Sadrist movement, Muqtada al-Sadr.

Following the Iraqi protests, which erupted in 2019, several forces, parties and movements emerged, some of which participated in the recent Iraqi elections last October, where all independent forces won about 50 seats in Parliament (after the recent resignation of the Sadrist bloc’s deputies), and it became a factor. Active in the political scene in general.

The character of protest and demonstration adhered to those forces and personalities, and formed in the minds of the Iraqis, that these parties, movements and personalities in a “box” correspond to the traditional parties, and with the launch of any protest in the street consistent with the demands and goals of the Tishreen demonstrators, attention is directed directly to the Tishreen forces, to know their vision and position .

With the start of the Sadrist movement’s sit-in in Parliament at the end of last month, as well as the subsequent sit-in by supporters of the “coordinating framework” forces in the Green Zone, calls for independent forces to participate alongside the Sadrist movement in its protests, as it advocates the same principles, such as fighting corruption, restoring The Iraqi decision, and the formation of a national government.

Al-Fraiji confirmed that the forces of October are far from the conflict between the Sadrist movement and the coordination framework (Al-Jazeera Net)

Relationship with current and frame

However, the Secretary-General of the "I'm Taking My Right" movement, Mashreq Al-Fariji, stressed that "all parties and protest movements are far from the struggle of the traditional parties. We believe that what is happening now in the sit-in in Parliament (for the Sadrists), and in the Jadriya region (the framework forces), are political conflicts. A partisanship is not for the sake of the citizen’s livelihood.”

Al-Fraiji added to Al-Jazeera Net, "Civil forces and movements, whose capital is protest, and they are now seeking to prepare themselves through various ways, to be a successful political alternative, and to provide a bright model for the mechanism of governance."

Al-Fraiji pointed out that the protests that began on August 12, near Al-Firdaws Square, in central Baghdad, to emphasize the demand to "dissolve parliament" and create conditions for early elections, with full implementation of the parties' law, is a message to everyone, that Iraq is not The current and the framework are restricted, but there are other forces that are able to establish and present themselves as a successful alternative.

It is noteworthy that the October protesters in Baghdad and the southern provinces - when their movement began at the end of 2019 - were subjected to repression by the Iraqi security forces, as human rights organizations recorded the killing of hundreds, and the injury of about 25 thousand others, as well as the prosecutions and threats against activists and leaders of the demonstrations.

In an effort to win over the supporters of the Tishreen movements, the leader of the Sadrist movement, Muqtada al-Sadr, on more than one occasion called on activists to participate in the sit-in in the Green Zone, in a move that seemed to win more supporters from outside the Sadrist movement, suggesting the support of a large segment of the people for al-Sadr's program.

Dagher urged the "Christians" to agree with the Sadrist movement to achieve the desired reform (Al Jazeera Net)

In turn, the researcher at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, Munqith Dagher, believes that the best at the present time is to unite the forces and movements of Tishreen with the supporters of Muqtada al-Sadr, and to conclude a clear agreement between the two parties, regarding all the details, given that the previous experience between them was not successful, and there Mutual accusations between the two parties.

Dagher stressed to Al Jazeera Net that it is important to benefit from the previous experience and build a new one, to find a broad popular alliance, capable of bringing about change in the political process, adding that "the October people staying in the middle, without movement, will harm the change process, as one party cannot, make anything happen."

Political movement of the forces of October

Observers of the Iraqi affairs believe that the political conflict between the Sadrist movement and the coordination framework is one of the products of the October protests, which called for reform, fighting corruption, and the need to form governments on the basis of efficiency and integrity, which prompted the political blocs to make concessions, such as the legislation of an electoral law that harmonizes The demands of the protesters, and the presence of an electoral commission of independent judges, as these measures contributed to reducing the seats of the traditional forces, in favor of the new parties.

The coordinating framework forces demand the necessity of changing the current election law and appointing a new commission, a path that al-Sadr rejects, as these demands have turned into a "node of disagreement" between the Sadrist movement and the coordinating framework.

For days, the emerging powers, such as the "Wa'i" movement, the "National Home" movement, and the "I go down to take my right" movement, along with the Communist Party, have held multiple meetings to come up with a unified political vision.

These parties also launched popular demonstrations 9 days ago near Al-Firdaws Square in central Baghdad, to emphasize the demand to "dissolve parliament" and hold early elections, with the application of the parties' law.

Fahmy considered that the forces of October and the independents aim to end the current situation and move on a new political path (Al-Jazeera Net)

The Secretary of the Communist Party, Raed Fahmy, asserts that "civil and protest forces have taken another path, which is to arrange the political mechanism and hold more internal dialogues to ripen ideas that help confront the complex reality, especially since there are common principles with the Sadrist movement, which calls for political reform, combating corruption, and changing improper procedures in the joints of the state.”

Fahmy added to Al Jazeera Net, that the protest forces have balanced field work and political movement, and this is what Iraq requires at the present time, and it has moved away from the conflict of the current and the framework, to adopt a clear line, aimed at ending the current situation, and moving on a new political path, with the necessity of Agreeing on a roadmap that solves the root of the problem, not that it provides quick solutions.

Fahmy pointed out that "there is a societal atmosphere, and a general popular opinion, about the need for change and reform of the current system."