Salih Sets Deadline for Political Parties to Decide on New Iraqi PM
Arab World
Baghdad - Hamza Mustafa
Iraqi President Barham Salih said Wednesday he would choose a prime minister if political parties failed to name a replacement for Adel Abdul Mahdi by the end of the month. “If the concerned blocs are unable to resolve the nomination issue by no later than Saturday, February 1... I see an obligation to exercise my constitutional powers by tasking whomever I find most acceptable to parliament and the people,” Salih wrote in a letter. Salih urged lawmakers to “resume constructive and serious political dialogue in order to agree on a new candidate for the premiership who has the people’s approval.” “We believe that the biggest obstacle lies in reaching reasonable parameters to agree on a new candidate for prime minister. Continuing in this current situation is certainly impossible and risks making things more dangerous and complex,” he wrote. The deadline set by Salih is the latest sign that the Shiite political parties that dominate Iraq's parliament have so far failed to bridge their differences and select a new prime minister who is acceptable to the protesters. Abdul Mahdi resigned as PM in November under pressure from street protests, but has remained in office in a caretaker capacity. The protesters have been demanding not only a new electoral law and committee but also the removal of the entire political class and appointment of a premier with no party affiliation. The president's move has confused political blocs. While they insist that the parliamentary system severely limits the president’s powers in favor of broad powers for the premier, yet the Iraqi constitution’s article 66 states that “the executive authority consists of the president and the cabinet.” Salih’s latest move is a sign that he has gone beyond the authorities granted to him by the constitution, acting as a head of state with broad powers. He always carries a copy of the Iraqi constitution and raises it whenever anyone wants to circumvent it. “I am the guardian of the constitution,” he stresses. Leader of Iraq's Qarar Coalition Athil al-Nujaifi told Asharq Al-Awsat that the best solution to the Iraqi crisis includes “accepting to hold fair elections monitored by the international community.” This will bring in new faces who accept rotation of power. “If the government fails to hold the upcoming elections in a quick and fair manner, the situation in Iraq will worsen and may lead to direct international intervention,” Nujaifi noted.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://aawsat.com/english/home/article/2106601/salih-sets-deadline-political-parties-decide-new-iraqi-pm
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