SULAIMANI (ESTA) — The Coordination Framework, including pro-Iran groups, on Wednesday proposed an initiative to break the political impasse in Iraq, as Shia parties’ divide makes forging government tough task.
“We propose this national initiative to break the political impasse and open up prospects for cooperation and partnership to serve the country,” the Coordination Framework said in a statement.
The Coordination Framework includes State of Law Alliance, al-Fateh Alliance, Ata Movement, National Forces Alliance, Haquq Movement and Fadhila party.
No single party holds an outright majority, so the next leader will be voted in by whichever coalition can negotiate allies to become the biggest bloc — which then elects Iraq’s president, who then appoints a prime minister.
In previous parliaments, parties from Iraq’s Shia majority have struck compromise deals to work together and form a government, with an unofficial system whereby the prime minister is Shia, the president is a Kurd and the speaker of parliament is Sunni.
The Sadrist Movement wants to form a national majority government while the Coordination Framework prefers a consensus government.
So rather than strike an alliance with the powerful Shia Coordination Framework, Sadr has forged a new coalition.
That includes two Sunni parties, Taqadum and Azm, as well as the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP).
On Monday, the Iraqi parliament failed to select a new president after major parties boycotted the session following the suspension of KDP candidate Hoshyar Zebari from presidential race.
Zebari’s suspension came after a lawsuit filed by two lawmakers accused him of years-long corruption.
On Wednesday, the Iraqi parliament reopened door for presidential candidates and would last for a period of three days.
Expert Ali al-Tamimi denounced the announcement as “unconstitutional”, saying that the legal deadline set to elect a president “cannot be broken, except by a decision from the Federal Court or an amendment of the law”, according to AFP.
The Iran-backed parties announced a three-point initiative on Wednesday in an attempt to break the political impasse.
The Coordination Framework invited all political forces to start a new phase of “communication and dialogue in order to achieve the constitutional benefits”.
In another point, the group called on the Sadrist movement and other parties to “sit down, meet and debate about forming the largest bloc in a new wat to serve the country”.
It also suggested the parties reach an agreement to form the largest parliamentary bloc on “the criteria for selecting a strong, efficient and wise prime minister who is able to overcome the [current] phase”.
It also announced its readiness to begin dialogue “positively” with other parties, according to the statement.
“We all have to do our best to serve the Iraqis as a nation who has suffered a lot over the past period.”
In multi-confessional and multi-ethnic Iraq, the formation of governments has involved complex negotiations ever since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion toppled dictator Saddam Hussein.
