Security measures in the vicinity of the Green Zone ahead of the Iraqi parliament session

Security measures in the vicinity of the Green Zone ahead of the Iraqi parliament session

9-27-2022

Security measures in the vicinity of the Green Zone ahead of the Iraqi parliament sessionBAGHDAD – One day before a scheduled session of the Iraqi parliament, about two months after the decision to suspend its sessions, after supporters of the Sadrist movement stormed and took control of the parliament building located inside the Green Zone, in the center of the capital, the Iraqi security forces are taking new security measures in the vicinity of the Green Zone, including landing blocks New concrete and the deployment of units of the security forces, while the “Coordination Framework” alliance, the umbrella group for the forces allied to Iran in Iraq, welcomed the decision to resume parliament sessions, calling on the Kurdish forces to agree on their candidate for the presidency.

Parliament Speaker Muhammad al-Halbousi had announced on the thirtieth of last July the suspension of parliament’s work until further notice, after al-Sadr’s supporters stormed the Green Zone and took control of the building located in the middle of the fortified international zone in Baghdad.

And the session to be held at noon tomorrow, Wednesday, in which Al-Halbousi will present his resignation to the parliament’s deputies, in a sudden and uncalculated move, which also coincides with an upcoming session of the Federal Supreme Court tomorrow as well, to consider a constitutional claim accepting the resignation of the 73 Sadrist MPs from Parliament last June. , by the Presidency of Parliament without being presented to a vote, amid speculation about the nature of the decision the court will take.

Parliament is also scheduled to elect its first deputy after Hakim al-Zamili’s resignation from the Sadrist movement’s bloc.

Shafaq News Agency quoted a security source as saying on Tuesday that “reinforcements from the concrete blocks were lined up in front of the legislation and planning gate leading to the Green Zone,” noting that “the Ministry of Planning gate was completely closed.”

He added, “Putting the blocks longitudinally at the planning gate means that this entrance will be out of service, starting from Tuesday,” noting the possibility of “the direct tomorrow (Wednesday) with a similar procedure at the gate of the suspension bridge.”

The “Coordination Framework” coalition welcomed Parliament Speaker Muhammad al-Halbousi’s decision to resume parliament’s work, and set Wednesday as a date for a session.

This came during a meeting that ended late on Monday night, which included leaders and representatives of the coalition forces in Baghdad, which he said was to discuss the developments and the political situation in the country, and the benefits of the next stage.

The coalition renewed, according to the statement, its readiness to “go to early elections after completing its introductions from a government with full powers, approving a federal budget, amending the electoral law, and organizing the Independent High Electoral Commission.”

He called on the Kurdish political forces to “resolve their candidate for the presidency,” welcoming at the same time “the participation of all national forces, especially the Sadrist movement, in dialogues, government formation and state administration.”

The coordinating framework affirmed its keenness to “complete the building of the state with an independent national will,” rejecting what it described as “attempts, pressures and external interference from any party.”

The Iraqi parliament will hold its first session on Wednesday, since the bloody violence that shook the country on August 29, and the sit-in that Muqtada al-Sadr’s supporters briefly held in the vicinity of the parliament two months ago, according to a statement issued on Monday.

At the top of the agenda of the session scheduled for the twenty-eighth of September at ten in the morning (13:00 GMT), the parliament put a vote on the “resignation of the Speaker of Parliament,” Muhammad al-Halbousi, a great ally of the Sadrist movement and a prominent political player.

According to political observers, this vote is no more than a formality, and is tantamount to restoring confidence to al-Halbousi against the backdrop of behind-the-scenes political bargains.

The move to resume parliament’s work comes in contrast to what the leader of the Sadrist movement is calling for, who demands the dissolution of this institution and the early elections.

And not only that, but Sadr’s opponents appear to be in the position ahead of him, in light of what has emerged in the past hours about the formation of a coalition under the name “State Administration,” comprising the “coordinating framework” and Sadr’s allies before his withdrawal from the scene, although Mystery still surrounds this alliance, and there is no official information regarding its actual formation.

The timing of the resignation and the characteristics of its owner raised expectations of Al-Halbousi’s desire to renew the confidence of the deputies in him, after the resignation of his allies among them and the rise of their opponents.

Prominent Sunni politician Mishaan al-Jubouri said in a tweet that this resignation “aims at obtaining a renewal of confidence” and assuring support for him “when the resignation is rejected.”

“Al-Halbousi is not planning to resign, but by allowing a potential vote of confidence, he expects his partners to give him strong support that puts an end to every attempt to dismiss him in the future,” political analyst Sajjad Jiyad said.

The researcher at the Suntory International Research Center added that this is a way to “consolidate his position as a political leader for the Sunnis, and put pressure on the Shiite and Kurdish parties to accelerate the formation of the government.”

On the other hand, the leader in the framework, Mahmoud Al-Hayani, said in media statements that “Al-Halbousi’s resignation from his position has several reasons, the first of which is to remove his embarrassment before the leader of the Sadrist movement, Muqtada al-Sadr, and to show that he is not with the coalition of state administration, as well as evading the formation of any government by the coordination framework. “.

He explained that “one of the reasons for Al-Halbousi’s resignation from his position is the fear of his dismissal from the position with the return of Parliament sessions soon, especially since he proved his failure to manage this position and was part of the crisis, and any talk of a prior agreement to resign with the framework is incorrect.”

Al-Hayani added that “the forces of the coordination framework have not yet determined their position on accepting or rejecting the resignation, but their acceptance is very possible because Al-Halbousi failed in his duties during the previous period, and during the coming hours, there will be an official position for the framework on this issue.”

Iraq has witnessed a comprehensive political impasse since the legislative elections in October 2021, with the inability of the major political currents to agree on the name of the next prime minister and the method of his appointment.

Parliament convened for the last time on the twenty-third of July. A few days after that, Sadr’s supporters stormed the parliament before holding a month-long sit-down in its gardens.

The tension reached its peak in late August, when clashes erupted between Sadr’s supporters and elements of the army and the Popular Mobilization (an alliance of pro-Iranian factions that have become affiliated with the state apparatus and oppose the Sadrist movement politically). More than thirty supporters of the Sadrist movement were killed in these battles.

The dispute is escalating today in Iraq between two camps, the first led by Muqtada al-Sadr, who calls for an immediate dissolution of the House of Representatives, consisting of 329 deputies, and the holding of early legislative elections after withdrawing 73 deputies. As for the other, it is represented by the Coordination Framework, an alliance of Shiite factions loyal to Iran, which seeks to form a government before any elections are held.

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