Al-Sudani and his regional agendas: political concessions under the table in exchange for a second term?
Al-Sudani and his regional agendas: political concessions under the table in exchange for a second term?
5-19-2025
Information / Baghdad..
The Iraqi political scene is witnessing an escalation in criticism directed at the government of Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, amid growing accusations of a retreat from national sovereignty in favor of personal agendas and actions outside the framework of constitutional institutions. This is in light of what MPs and politicians describe as the executive branch’s monopolization of decision-making and its alignment with regional agendas to secure future political gains.
Observers believe that one of the most prominent features of the current government’s declining performance is the absence of genuine sovereign decision-making, which is supposed to be built on solid national foundations and with the active participation of all political forces. However, the current reality indicates that many fateful decisions are made by the prime minister unilaterally, without consulting parliament or other political partners.
This unilateral approach, as MP Mukhtar al-Moussawi confirmed in a statement to Al-Maalouma News Agency, does not reflect the spirit of an institutional state. Rather, it opens the door to decisions that may be driven by personal agendas or regional and international arrangements that are not in Iraq’s best interest.
Informed political sources reveal that Al-Sudani has held secret meetings with controversial figures, some of whom are implicated in security and terrorist cases, outside official channels. This raises questions about the nature of these meetings and their true objectives.
Information confirms that some of these meetings were mediated by foreign mediators and included discussions on political arrangements aimed at securing regional and international support for him should he seek a second term.
These moves are seen as a circumvention of the national will, especially if they are accompanied by political or economic concessions to regional states, particularly the Gulf states, at the expense of Iraqi sovereignty.
Observers link some of the government’s steps, such as opening economic and security channels with Gulf states, to al-Sudani’s attempts to gain regional support. They believe these concessions, whether on energy, investment, or security arrangements, are part of an undisclosed deal that guarantees him political and media support at the Arab and international levels in exchange for turning a blind eye to sensitive issues that affect national sovereignty.
Political experts warn that prioritizing personal interests over sovereign decision-making could lead the country to further political division and social tension, weaken Iraq’s regional role, and jeopardize its strategic interests.
Moreover, the government’s continued reliance on a policy of closed meetings and non-transparent agreements could erode the confidence of its supporting political forces and deepen the gap between it and the Iraqi public, which expects government performance that reflects its national aspirations, not narrow political calculations.
The absence of genuine sovereign decision-making under the current government not only affects the essence of political action, but also threatens Iraq’s future as an independent state with free will.
The government’s continued unilateral action, its concessions to foreign interests, and its planning for a second term at the expense of the national interest poses challenges that are greater than can be resolved through formal understandings and call for a firm political stance to preserve sovereignty and the principle of national partnership.
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