'Iraq facing dangerous political and security stalemate, protests are coming soon': Hoshyar Zebari

"Youth and popular demonstrations and protests are coming soon against the political deadlock, economic failure, starvation of the people, and lack of respect for the people's will in their electoral choices."
Amid tear gas, Iraqi security forces chase anti-government protesters in Baghdad on Sunday. Many of the protesters are unemployed young men, October 2019. (Photo: Hadi Mizban/AP)
Amid tear gas, Iraqi security forces chase anti-government protesters in Baghdad on Sunday. Many of the protesters are unemployed young men, October 2019. (Photo: Hadi Mizban/AP)

ERBIL (Kurdistan) – Iraq is facing a dangerous political stalemate and the youth are likely to protest soon, Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) Politburo member and former Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari warned on Monday. 

"Youth and popular demonstrations and protests are coming soon against the political deadlock, economic failure, starvation of the people, and lack of respect for the people's will in their electoral choices," Zebari tweeted.

"Iraq is in a dangerous political and security stalemate. The presidencies failed to avoid the situation because of their interests, the refusal of the electoral entitlement, and the judiciary being dragged into biased decisions," Zebari added.

He warned that they don't understand the "seriousness" of the present situation and called on everyone to review it "and take a step back to save the country."

Zebari's tweets came in response to the Iraqi Federal Supreme Court's decision to reject the Emergency Support for Food Security and Development draft bill proposed by the Iraqi government. 

Failure to pass that bill represents a debilitating factor for the role of the government in fulfilling the needs of the Iraqi people and protecting poor citizens, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi warned on Sunday.

Read More: Failure to pass food security bill undermines government role in fulfilling people's needs: Iraqi PM

Muzhir Mohammed Salih, Kadhimi's adviser for financial affairs, told the Iraqi News Agency on Monday that "the Iraqi Federal Supreme Court has ruled that no law could be passed before forming the new government."

Salih pointed out that rejecting the draft food bill by the Supreme Court means Kadhimi's caretaker government cannot send any other draft laws to the parliament for discussion, including the 2022 budget law, since the top court will reject it. 

On Monday, Sadrist Movement leader Muqtada al-Sadr accused his Shiite Coordination Framework (SCF) rivals of targeting the Iraqi people by having the court reject the bill.

Read More: Shiite Coordination Framework targeting Iraqi people by rejecting emergency food bill: Sadr

"I swear by God they [SCF] are targeting the people and want to bring them down," he said. "What is even more surprising is that the judiciary is keeping pace with the disgraceful actions of the SCF."

On Monday, the Iraqi al-Umma party leader Mahmood Hussein al-Agili told Kurdistan 24 that foreign interference, especially from Iran, has impeded the government formation.

"The Iraqi street doesn't accept SCF, and Sadr's Monday tweet was a signal for more conflicts and protests," he said. 

"If you do not fear God, then fear the wrath of the forbearing and the oppressed, for the oppressed will have a roar, you will not be safe from it, and there is no time for blood, and there is no escape from it," Sadr warned in his Monday statement. 

Al-Agili stated that "they [Iran] fear forming a strong government in Iraq that will put the corrupt and those who launch Katyusha rockets on trial."