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2021–2022 Iraqi political crisis

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2021–2022 Iraqi political crisis
Part of Iraq Conflict
The Baghdad Convention Center, home of the Iraqi Parliament
Date
  • 5 November 2021 – 27 October 2022
Location
Iraq
Caused by
Resulted inNew president elected 13 October 2022;
new government approved 27 October 2022.[1][2]
Lead figures
Casualties
Death(s)53 killed[3]
Injuries1,080 injured[4]

Between the parliamentary election in October 2021 and October 2022, there was a political crisis in Iraq, with members of the Council of Representatives of Iraq being unable to form a stable coalition government, or elect a new President.[5] Basic government services such as the civil service and military continued functioning, but the national political system was in deadlock including in respect of almost all major spending and taxation issues.[6] On 27 October 2022, the government of Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani was approved by the Council of Representatives.[1][2]

Events

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2021

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Violent clashes in Baghdad following the election and the attempted assassination of Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi began the crisis.[7] On 18 November Muqtada al-Sadr said he would like to form a majority government.[8]

2022

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On 9 January, the newly elected parliament met for the first time in the Green Zone to elect the parliament speaker and two deputies. This first parliamentary session resulted in senior interim parliament speaker Mahmoud al-Mashahadani falling ill and being taken to hospital.[9] Sunni lawmaker and current parliament speaker Mohamed al-Halbousi was re-elected for a second term,[10] with deputies Shakhawan Abdulla from the Kurdistan Democratic Party and Hakim al-Zamili from the Sadrist Movement.[11] Thus, the Kurdistan Democratic Party, Sadrist Movement and Progress Party succeeded in filling those three positions due to the candidates of each bloc voting for each other.[11] These nominations were not recognized as legitimate by the Shiite Pro-Iran factions in parliament, known as the Coordination Framework bloc, who claimed the session could not continue without the presence of the ill al-Mashahadani.[12] Parliament was then temporarily suspended but later was able to resume again after a review by the Iraqi Supreme Court.[13]

According to the Constitution of Iraq a president must be selected within 30 days after the election of the parliament speaker.[14] Incumbent Barham Salih was put forward by the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan to run for a second term, while the Kurdistan Democratic Party selected former foreign minister Hoshyar Zebari to run for the post as the party's second putting forward of a president to the required parliamentary vote.[14]

On 13 June 2022, all 73 MPs from al-Sadr's bloc resigned from parliament.[15][16] On 23 June, the Council of Representatives swore in 73 new members in their place.[17] As a result, the Coordination Framework bloc, an alliance of Iran-backed parties led by Nouri al-Maliki, grew to 130 seats.[18]

On 17 July, secret recordings were leaked of Nouri al-Maliki, the former Prime Minister, in which he was criticising al-Sadr. This was reported to have been controversial and a factor in deepening the crisis.[19]

On 25 July, the framework nominated former minister and governor of Maysan Governorate Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani as prime minister.[20]

On 27 July, angry about the influence of Iran in Iraqi domestic governance, followers of al-Sadr breached the Green Zone and the Iraqi Parliament in Baghdad. After a public message by al-Sadr to "pray and go home," the crowd dispersed.[21] Thousands of supporters of Muqtada al-Sadr had been camping in the parliament building since July 27.[22]

On 3 August, Muqtada al-Sadr called for snap elections.[23]

On 29 August, Sadr announced via a tweet his retirement from political life. Later that day, his supporters stormed the presidential palace and armed clashes inside the Green Zone ensued, resulting in the deaths of at least 15 protesters.[24] The Iraqi Army announced a nationwide curfew. Protests and clashes also erupted in Basra and Maysan Governorate in southern Iraq.[24]

On 30 August, fighting spread to Karbala and escalated in Basra as demonstrators stormed the Iraqi parliamentary office in Karbala[25] and blocked the entrance to Umm Qasr port.[26]

On approximately 5 September the second round of negotiations ended, leaving further talks required to agree on any selection for the key ratificatory and head of state role of president and to agree a working coalition, key-issues confidence and supply arrangement between the parties or to the fresh elections the Prime Minister continues to seek.[27]

After more talks between the political parties, on 13 October, the Iraqi Parliament gathered once again and elected Abdul Latif Rashid as the country's new president. He won after winning 230 votes in the parliament beating incumbent Barham Salih. This election marked the beginning of the end of the deadlock as Rashid then tasked Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani with forming the government to become prime minister. [28] Although offered by various figures, Sadr said he would not partake in this new government led by al-Sudani. [29]

On 27 October 2022, the government of Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani, from the 'Coordination Framework', was approved by the Council of Representatives.[1][2] In his acceptance speech ahead of the final vote, Al Sudani stated that "corruption" had caused "many economic problems, (…) increasing poverty, unemployment, and poor public services".[1]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Iraqi parliament approves new government headed by Mohammed Shia al-Sudani". Reuters. 27 October 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  2. ^ a b c "Coordination Framework nominate Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani as candidate for Iraqi prime minister". PUK media. 25 July 2022. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  3. ^ Rasheed, Jillian Kestler-D'Amours,Zaheena. "Iraq's al-Sadr on hunger strike; protesters storm gov't palace". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 30 August 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ Rasheed, Jillian Kestler-D'Amours,Zaheena. "Iraq's al-Sadr on hunger strike; protesters storm gov't palace". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 30 August 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ "Iraqi PM stresses inciting violence and chaos unacceptable". Iraqi News. 14 June 2022. Archived from the original on 15 June 2022. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
  6. ^ "Iraqi MPs from Muqtada al-Sadr's bloc resign". www.aljazeera.com. Archived from the original on 13 June 2022. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
  7. ^ "Iraq ministry: Scores injured in rally over election results". WTOP. 5 November 2021. Archived from the original on 31 May 2022. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
  8. ^ Staff writer (18 November 2021). "Sadr calls for majority government, 'liquidation' of Iraqi militias". Al-Monitor. Archived from the original on 18 November 2021. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  9. ^ Staff writer (9 January 2022). "Iraq parliament holds first session, elects speaker". devdiscourse.com. Archived from the original on 9 January 2022. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  10. ^ "Halbousi re-elected speaker of parliament during chaotic first session". Rudaw. 9 January 2022. Archived from the original on 9 January 2022. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  11. ^ a b "KDP puts forth candidate for deputy parliament speaker". Rudaw. 10 January 2022. Archived from the original on 9 January 2022. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  12. ^ "Shiite factions disregard outcome of Iraqi parliament's first session". Rudaw. 11 January 2022. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  13. ^ "Iraq's top court to review cases against first parliamentary session on Wednesday". Rudaw. 16 January 2022. Archived from the original on 5 February 2022. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
  14. ^ a b "Battle opens for presidency in Iraq". 2 February 2022. Archived from the original on 20 March 2022. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
  15. ^ "Iraqi leaders vow to move ahead after dozens quit parliament". The Independent. 13 June 2022. Archived from the original on 13 June 2022. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
  16. ^ "War-scarred Iraq sinks deeper into political crisis". Agence France-Presse. 14 June 2022. Archived from the original on 14 June 2022. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
  17. ^ "Iraq Parliament Swears in New Members After Walkout of 73". 23 June 2022. Archived from the original on 1 July 2022. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
  18. ^ "In numbers... the coordination framework has become the "first force" in the Iraqi parliament" (in Arabic). Alhurra. 23 June 2022. Retrieved 6 August 2022.
  19. ^ "Secret recordings deepen political crisis in Iraq". France 24. 16 July 2022. Archived from the original on 20 July 2022. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  20. ^ "Coordination Framework nominate Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani as candidate for Iraqi prime minister". PUK media. 25 July 2022. Archived from the original on 25 July 2022. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  21. ^ "Iraqi protesters storm the parliament in Baghdad's Green Zone". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 27 July 2022. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
  22. ^ "Hundreds of protesters camp at Iraq parliament for a second day". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  23. ^ "'Dissolve the parliament': Influential Shiite leader Moqtada Sadr calls for fresh elections in Iraq". WION. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
  24. ^ a b Abdul-Zahra, Qassim; Kullab, Samya (29 August 2022). "Clashes erupt after Iraqi Shiite cleric resigns, 15 dead". Associated press. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  25. ^ عاجل متظاهرون يقتحمون مكتب مجلس النواب في محافظة #كربلاء #العراق (in Arabic), telegram: Al Jazeera Mubasher, 29 August 2022
  26. ^ مسؤول أمني عراقي يؤكد إغلاق أنصار الصدر لمداخل ميناء (in Arabic), Twitter: Al Arabiya, 29 August 2022
  27. ^ "No end to crisis as Iraq's PM ends second round of talks". Yahoo News. 5 September 2022. Retrieved 5 September 2022.
  28. ^ "Latif Rashid elected president of Iraq (13 Oct 2022)". Rudaw English. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
  29. ^ "Sadr movement decides to boycott PM-designate's cabinet (15 Oct 2022)". Rudaw English. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
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