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| Iraq |
| Is Iran trying to hijack Iraqi protesters’ demands? |
| 2019-11-16 |
| [THEBAGHDADPOST] In reaction to continuing mass protests that began Oct. 1, the Supreme Judicial Council is reviewing the Iraqi Constitution and will submit proposed amendments to parliament ‐ though protesters fear that will only delay action on their demands. Parliament has formed an Amendment Committee that is to complete its recommendations within four months, aiming to answer protesters’ demands for reforms to end corruption and the electoral quota system, which is based on religious and ethnic affiliations. However, it's easy to be generous with someone else's money... suggesting that the primary aim of the popular protests is for the government to amend the constitution is ironic, as they are calling for the current government to resign before elections are organized under a new law with UN supervision. Protesters accuse the current government of being corrupt and illegitimate, citing low election turnout, ballot boxes being set on fire and results being forged. "The protesters in Baghdad have rejected the parliament’s Amendment Committee because [committee] members are from parties and sectarian blocs that contributed to ruining the country. We have taken to the streets to remove them from power and it's unreasonable to accept them as politicians for the next stage," Naim al-Shuwaili, a civil activist in Baghdad said. "The priority should be for a new election law that adopts direct individual voting and multiconstituency elections under full UN supervision. The future parliament will be the one to amend the constitution. ... The current parliament is discussing constitutional amendments with the aim of wasting time and delaying the discussion of a fair electoral bill." Regarding the call for a new election law, Iraqi President Barham Salah and the Cabinet this week each drew up drafts for one and may combine their proposals, according to the state-run Iraqi News Agency. The president's version calls for reducing the number of parliament members, allowing for younger candidates and forming a new electoral commission without using the quota system on which the current commission was formed. However, it's easy to be generous with someone else's money... the next stop for the proposals is the same parliament the protesters reject. As for constitutional amendments, the various political blocs have expressed three differing stances. Shiites want to convert the parliamentary political system to a presidential one. Kurds want to preserve their political gains, especially those related to disputed areas. Sunnis, meanwhile, seek to maintain the parliamentary quota system, which is designed to ensure that their representatives are allotted a percentage of ministerial positions, as well as the speaker of parliament position. According to a Nov. 7 statement by Amendment Committee member Rashid al-Azzawi, the most important proposals to be discussed are determining whether to go with a parliamentary or presidential system; Article 76, which addresses the power of the largest political bloc; whether governors should be directly elected by the people or by provincial councils; and determining the fate of provincial councils if they are kept. |
| Posted by:Fred |