Kadhimi calls on political parties to avoid creating crises for Iraq
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Mustafa al-Kadhimi, Iraq’s prime minister, on Thursday called on the political parties to not create security, social and political crises for the country. This comes hours after supporters of Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr stormed the parliament to protest the nomination of a “corrupt” politician by a pro-Iran coalition for the position of premier.
Hundreds of supporters of Sadr breached Baghdad's Green Zone, where most of the government’s key institutions and offices of foreign missions are located, and entered the parliament building late Wednesday. The protesters rejected the recent nomination of Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani, Iraq’s former minister of labour and social affairs, as a candidate for the country’s prime minister position by the pro-Iran Coordination Framework, accusing him of corruption. They retreated from the legislature building after Sadr ordered them to “return home.”
Kadhimi, who called on protesters to “immediately withdraw” from the parliament building late Wednesday, said in a statement on Thursday that his cabinet has tried to create a peaceful situation in the country after years of conflict, warning against any new crises.
“The government renews its appeal to all political forces to not create political crises for it, but rather adopt the approach of constructive dialogue,” the statement read, calling on everyone to “understand the critical and sensitive situation in which Iraq stands today, and to prevent the country from being plunged into a security or social crisis amid complex regional and international circumstances.”
The premier also said that the political parties should “confront crises and disputes in the spirit of national dialogue under the roof of one nation.”
Iraq held parliamentary elections in October but the political parties have failed to elect a president and a prime minister for the country due to disagreements.
Sadr, who was the main winner of the elections, withdrew from the parliament last month after failing to reach an agreement with the rival Coordination Framework to form a government.
The Coordination Framework, now the biggest coalition, is in talks with other political parties to form a new cabinet, announcing Sudani as their candidate for the position of prime minister on Monday.
Hundreds of supporters of Sadr breached Baghdad's Green Zone, where most of the government’s key institutions and offices of foreign missions are located, and entered the parliament building late Wednesday. The protesters rejected the recent nomination of Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani, Iraq’s former minister of labour and social affairs, as a candidate for the country’s prime minister position by the pro-Iran Coordination Framework, accusing him of corruption. They retreated from the legislature building after Sadr ordered them to “return home.”
Kadhimi, who called on protesters to “immediately withdraw” from the parliament building late Wednesday, said in a statement on Thursday that his cabinet has tried to create a peaceful situation in the country after years of conflict, warning against any new crises.
“The government renews its appeal to all political forces to not create political crises for it, but rather adopt the approach of constructive dialogue,” the statement read, calling on everyone to “understand the critical and sensitive situation in which Iraq stands today, and to prevent the country from being plunged into a security or social crisis amid complex regional and international circumstances.”
The premier also said that the political parties should “confront crises and disputes in the spirit of national dialogue under the roof of one nation.”
Iraq held parliamentary elections in October but the political parties have failed to elect a president and a prime minister for the country due to disagreements.
Sadr, who was the main winner of the elections, withdrew from the parliament last month after failing to reach an agreement with the rival Coordination Framework to form a government.
The Coordination Framework, now the biggest coalition, is in talks with other political parties to form a new cabinet, announcing Sudani as their candidate for the position of prime minister on Monday.