Tishwash: America announces a complete naval blockade of Iranian ports
The United Kingdom welcomed the election of the President of the Republic and affirmed its commitment to strengthening cooperation with Iraq.
The Presidency of the Republic stated in a press release that “the United Kingdom expressed its welcome for the election of His Excellency President Nizar Amidi as President of the Republic of Iraq, affirming its aspiration for a new phase of joint cooperation.”
It added that “the UK Minister for the Middle East at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Hamish Faulkner, affirmed his country’s desire to continue working with the new Iraqi leadership in a way that contributes to strengthening bilateral relations and supporting stability and development in Iraq.” link
Tishwash: The coordinating body will meet tomorrow to decide on the prime ministerial candidate.
Badr Organization leader Mu’in Al-Kadhimi revealed that a crucial meeting of the coordination framework will be held tomorrow, Monday, to decide on the prime minister candidate if he obtains the approval of two-thirds of the framework’s forces.
Al-Kadhimi said, during his appearance on the “On the Ruler” program broadcast by Al-Furat satellite channel, that “the coordination framework will hold a meeting tomorrow, Monday, to discuss the file of the prime minister candidate,” indicating that “the candidate will be assigned if he obtains the approval of two-thirds of the members of the framework.”
He added that “the election of the President of the Republic by the House of Representatives represents an important step after nearly 100 days since the convening of its first session,” stressing that “there is no room for interpretations or delays in deciding on the nomination of the Prime Minister.”
Al-Kadhimi pointed out that “the names previously put forward for the premiership have expired, and the coordination framework is now faced with the option of choosing a new candidate capable of running the state, especially in light of the current economic and financial challenges and regional conditions.”
He noted that “there is some opposition to granting a second term,” suggesting that “the most likely option is to move towards a new candidate for prime minister,” stressing that “the 15-day deadline is sufficient to appoint the candidate.”
He explained that “the Badr bloc supports the consensus of the Coordination Framework and will work to ensure the success of the next government in various fields,” stressing that “the nomination of the President of the Republic was not conditional on the nomination of the Prime Minister and that the file is still in the hands of the Coordination Framework, which has 181 seats.”
Al-Kadhimi concluded by saying that “the next stage requires the Prime Minister to work on passing the project of liberation from American hegemony over Iraq’s resources.” link
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Tishwash: Al-Mar’idi: Barzani’s refusal to recognize the president of the republic places him outside the framework of the political process.
MP Mansour Al-Maridi indicated today, Sunday, that Barzani’s refusal to recognize the President of the Republic puts him outside the framework of the political process.
Al-Mar’idi told Al-Ma’louma News Agency that “such steps would create a new political crisis in the country,” explaining that “the political process is based on consensus and respect for the results, and any party that rejects it puts itself outside this framework.”
Al-Maridi added that “what is happening does not serve the stability of Iraq and increases tension between political forces,” stressing “the need for calm and a return to dialogue because the country cannot bear more disputes at this stage.”
It should be noted that the Kurdistan Democratic Party, headed by Masoud Barzani, rejected the election of the new president, Nizar Amidi, and announced the withdrawal of its representatives from Baghdad to Erbil. link
Tishwash: Back to square one: 9 candidates for prime minister before the coordination framework
The head of the Design Alliance, Amer Al-Fayez, revealed on Sunday that the coordinating framework intends to discuss the names of 9 candidates for the premiership at its meeting tomorrow.
Al-Fayez told Shafaq News Agency that “among the nominated names are the head of the State of Law Coalition, Nouri al-Maliki, the caretaker Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, former Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, the head of the Accountability and Justice Commission, Basim al-Badri, the leader of the Asas Party, Mohsen al-Mandalawi, the head of the Intelligence Service, Hamid al-Shatri, the Prime Minister’s advisor, Mohammed Sahib al-Daraji, the former Minister of Planning, Ali Shukri, and the National Security Advisor, Qasim al-Araji.”
He added that there is no preference between the candidates, indicating that tomorrow’s meeting will determine the mechanisms for selecting the most suitable among them.
Al-Fayez explained that “Al-Maliki is still holding on to his nomination, despite objections from several political forces and blocs.”
He pointed out that “the meeting, which will be held at the home of the leader of the Wisdom Movement, Ammar al-Hakim, will be attended by Maliki, and the meeting may conclude with an agreement on a candidate or mechanisms that determine the person of the next prime minister.”
For his part, Abu Mithaq Al-Masari, a member of the Coordination Framework, confirmed that Al-Maliki was the only candidate who received the Coordination Framework’s vote.
Al-Masari told Shafaq News Agency that if the framework wants to discuss a list of names of candidates for the next government, it must officially withdraw its nomination and inform the leader of the State of Law coalition of this officially and in writing, and then the discussion will return to choosing the person qualified for the position.
He added, “The coordination framework was supposed to inform the President of the Republic of his candidate for the premiership, who is Maliki, but there is talk of political agreements, and therefore everyone is waiting for what will result from tomorrow’s meeting.”
This comes after the Speaker of Parliament called on the largest parliamentary bloc to nominate its candidate for Prime Minister within a maximum period of 15 days, based on Article 76 of the Constitution, following the election of the President of the Republic.
The process of forming a government faces additional complications, most notably the declared American position regarding al-Maliki’s return to power, and the escalating security tensions in the region, which puts political forces before the challenge of maintaining the “quota system” that has been in place since 2003 or sliding towards a comprehensive political deadlock.
Earlier on Sunday, the new President of the Republic, Nizar Amidi, officially assumed his duties as President of the Republic of Iraq, during a presidential ceremony held at the Baghdad Palace.
The Iraqi parliament elected, on Saturday, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan party candidate Nizar Amidi as the new president of the republic.
A political source revealed on Saturday that Basim al-Badri is considered a compromise candidate within the coordination framework for the position of the next Iraqi Prime Minister, at a time when the leaders of the framework are preparing to hold a meeting soon to officially decide on the candidate’s name. link
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Tishwash: Moves to reshuffle the Sudanese government… and warnings of fragile balances and silent objections
Informed sources revealed that there are ongoing political moves to rearrange the governmental landscape in Iraq, through unannounced understandings between Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and former Speaker of Parliament Mohammed al-Halbousi, aimed at recycling the current government instead of forming a completely new one.
Hassan Al-Amiri, a political writer, told Al-Jarida that these moves are accompanied by interventions in the files of the presidency of the parliament and the republic, which may pave the way for broader understandings that lead to the renewal of the government in a modified form, which gives some parties greater influence in managing the political decision.
He added that Al-Sudani is seeking to establish himself as a man of political balances, by opening up to influential figures, including Ammar Al-Hakim and Qais Al-Khazali, with the aim of securing multi-directional support, including parliamentary, political and factional dimensions, in addition to trying to build a political cover that transcends the components.
Al-Amiri pointed out that what is happening does not represent a radical change in the structure of power, but is closer to reproducing the current government with partial modifications, in light of the absence of a comprehensive consensus within the coordinating framework, which is expected to face these moves with clear reservations.
He pointed out that there are silent objections within the Shiite community, along with Kurdish reservations, especially from Erbil, as well as differences within the Sunni forces, which reflects the fragility of the current understandings and their susceptibility to disintegration at the first political test.
Al-Amiri stressed that the challenges are not limited to political disputes, but extend to a struggle over the distribution of ministries that are still run according to sectarian considerations, in addition to the possibility of escalating corruption cases, and the complexities of the relationship with armed factions.
He concluded by saying that the future of these understandings will remain contingent on the government’s ability to manage internal balances, achieve progress on economic and service-related issues, and maintain a balance in foreign relations, particularly between the United States and Iran, amid anticipation of the Iraqi public’s stance. link
