Iraqi Sunni group withdraws from talks for new government formation

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – A Sunni Arab parliamentary bloc on Wednesday withdrew from negotiations to form Iraq’s new federal government because it did not receive a ministerial post in the next cabinet.

Sunni Qarrar Coalition’s exit might raise uncertainty in Iraq, which is currently in the process of forming a new government, five months after the controversial May 12 parliamentary election.

Osama al-Nujaifi, the leader of Qarrar bloc and a former parliament speaker, told local Iraqi media his party had pulled out of government talks because the ministerial posts had been awarded to only “one bloc” representing Sunnis.

He was referring to the other main Sunni parliamentary party, led by the current speaker, Mohammed al-Halbousi.

Nujaifi’s alliance won 14 seats in May’s election.

Since the fall of Iraq’s dictatorship in 2003, there has been a traditional power-sharing system in the country between the three main components: Shia Arabs, Sunni Arabs, and Kurds.

On Oct. 2, the newly-elected President of Iraq, Barham Salih, tasked Adel Abdul-Mahdi, an independent Shia who did not run in the May election, to form the country’s new government.

Abdul-Mahdi has 30 days to present his cabinet members and get approval in the Iraqi Parliament, according to the constitution.

He is scheduled to present a list of ministers to the House of Representatives for approval on Wednesday, but Kurdish lawmakers in Baghdad told Kurdistan 24 he might struggle to satisfy all the parties and get a sufficient number of votes. As a result, the process may face some delays.

Safeen Dizayee, the spokesperson for the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), told Kurdistan 24 on Tuesday that the Kurdistan Region would support Abdul-Mahdi’s efforts to form the new government. However, he noted that Kurdistan’s participation in the new administration should be based on “real partnership.”

He also mentioned that there are many issues that the semi-autonomous Kurdish region wants the new Iraqi government to resolve. These include Erbil – Baghdad disputes, a normalization of the situation in disputed territories, and the implementation of articles from the Iraqi Constitution, namely Article 140 related to the disputed regions.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany