Iraqi cleric asks Kurdish parties to agree on presidential candidate

10-07-2022

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Shiite cleric and head of Iraq's National Wisdom Movement Ammar al-Hakim on Sunday called on the two top Kurdish parties to accelerate efforts in agreeing on a candidate for Iraq's presidency with the country mired in political deadlock.

Hakim stated that the Iraqi presidency post "is greater than being a merit for one of the components of the country" and asked the Kurdistan Region's parties "to speed up the decision of the candidate for the presidency and to look at this national entitlement with great responsibility" in a sermon following Eid al-Adha's prayer.

The Kurdish political giants – the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) – have had disagreements over a variety of issues in recent months, and their race over Iraq's presidential position further escalated the tensions.

Up to last month, the KDP held a strong position in its quest to take the presidency, but a sudden withdrawal from the parliament's largest Shiite bloc and the KDP's biggest ally led by Muqtada al-Sadr on June 12 diminished crucial support for their claim for the presidency, rendering it almost impossible.

The PUK is allied with the pro-Iran Coordination Framework, who was the Sadrist Movement's most formidable opponent. Their pick for president is incumbent Barham Salih, while the KDP's pick is Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) interior minister Reber Ahmed.

Hakim also mentioned that Sadr's "withdrawal from the parliament does not mean their exit from the political scene, as they represent a large part of our population," and said he hoped Sadr had waited in his decision to withdraw as Iraq is going through a "critical and sensitive period.

Moreover, Hakim reiterated his bloc’s position not to participate in Iraq’s next government but expressed his readiness to support government formation talks regardless.

Sadr on Saturday warned of rampant corruption plaguing Iraq and said the country "has become a prisoner of corruption and dependency and foreign interference."

Iraq continues to be shrouded in political instability with the country yet to form its next government a staggering nine months following early elections in October.