Iraqi PM calls for calm after protestors again occupy Iraqi parliament
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi on Saturday in a speech called for calm after protesters for the second time this week occupied the Iraqi parliament.
“I call on everyone to be calm, patient and rational, and not be drawn into confrontation,” he said.
Moreover, he called on “citizens not to clash with the security forces and to respect state institutions.”
A massive demonstration by the Sadrist movement began on Saturday morning in Baghdad in protest of the Iran-backed Coordinating Framework candidate for Prime Minister, Mohammad Shiya al-Sudani.
Earlier this week the Iraqi PM Kadhimi also urged Iraqi parties to end the political deadlock.
Read More: PM Kadhimi urges parties to put aside differences to end political deadlock
The Iraqi PM Al-Kadhimi today also called on political blocs to negotiate and reach an understanding for the “sake of Iraq”, after the Coordination Framework threatened with counter protests.
The Sadrist Movement leader Muqtada al-Sadr opposes al-Sudana as PM candidate, since he is closely allied to his rival, the head of the Law coalition, Nuri al-Maliki.
Earlier this year, Sadr and his allies failed to form a "national majority government" following Iraq’s October 2021 parliamentary elections.
Dozens of protestors were injured on Saturday in confrontations with security forces.
Read More: Iraqi health reveals injury counts among Baghdad’s demonstrators
“The main objective of the Sadrist protests is to force Muhammad Shiaa al-Sudani to withdraw from running for prime minister,” Ali Almikdam, Founder and CEO Iraq Future Center told Kurdistan 24.
“The fact that the latter is the candidate of the Dawa Party, and this is considered a threat to Al-Sadr, so he cannot accept the return of the Dawa Party to power,” he added.
Shivan Fazil, of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, said in a tweet, that although the Sadrist movement withdrew from the parliament, “Sadr appears insisting on naming a new PM and is most able to mobilise the street.”
Yerevan Saeed, Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington DC told Kurdistan 24 that the confrontation between the Sadr movement and the Coordination Framework could escalate.
“The confrontations of these two different camps on the street without independent security forces to mediate between them could lead to disasters.”
“The protests are part of Sadr’s strategy to sabotage the political process after his withdrawal in June,” he added.