BAGHDAD: Although missile attack above The Green Zone of BaghdadIraqi lawmakers on Thursday elected a new president in hopes of ending a year of political deadlock and violence in the war-torn country.
Iraqi Kurd Abdel Latif Rashid78 years old, elected as the new head of state of Iraq, replacing Barham Saleh, by meeting in the diplomatic district and the fortified government of the capital.
Rashid won more than 160 votes against 99 for incumbent Saleh, a council official said.
Rashid’s first duties are expected to be to nominate a candidate for prime minister to replace the current prime minister, Mustafa al-Kadhemi, and try to form a new government for the crisis-stricken nation.
One favored candidate for prime minister is Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, 52, of the Shiite Muslim Coordination Framework, which includes pro-Iranian ex-paramilitary groups.
When Sudani was first proposed in July, it sparked massive protests by supporters of his Shiite rival, the fiery populist and cleric Moqtada Sadr, whose followers The spy breached the Green Zone and stormed the parliament.
A new reminder about IraqTrouble came on Thursday as lawmakers entered parliament, when a salvo of nine Katyusha-style missiles rained down on the area, security forces said.
At least 10 people were injured, including six members of the security forces or bodyguards of lawmakers, as well as four civilians in a nearby district, a security official told AFP.
US Ambassador Alina Romanowski condemned the attack “with the strongest terms” on Twitter and warned that “the Iraqi people must resolve their political differences and grievances only by peaceful means.” jar.
“Attacks like this undermine democracy and trap Iraq in a perpetual cycle of violence.”
‘Crisis breeds instability’
The democratic institutions built in oil-rich Iraq since the 2003 US-led invasion that toppled dictator Saddam Hussein remain fragile, and neighboring Iran wields great influence.
More than a year since the last general election, Iraq has so far failed to form a new government to address the problems the country is facing due to unemployment, deteriorating infrastructure, corruption, and corruption. impacts of climate change.
The United Nations Mission to Iraq this week warned that the “prolonged crisis is adding to the destabilization” and divisive politics are “generating bitter public disillusionment”.
Lawmakers had made three previous attempts to elect a new head of state, in February and March, but failed to even reach the required two-thirds threshold for some delegates.
Under Iraq’s post-Saddam power-sharing system, in order to avoid more sectarian conflict, the president of state is by convention a Kurd, the prime minister a Shiite, and the speaker of parliament a Sunni.
The President is usually held by the PUK of Rashid and Saleh. This year, the rival of the Kurdistan Democratic Party asked for the presidency but ultimately dropped the bid.
Rashid, an irrigation engineer well versed in environmental issues, is seen as a compromise candidate for a polarized nation.
Iraq’s rival Shiite political factions, the most powerful, competed fiercely for influence and the right to choose a new prime minister.
Sadr has pushed for parliament to dissolve and hold new elections, while the Coordination Framework has urged a new government before new polls are held.
The stalemate has seen both sides set up protest camps in the Green Zone this year.
Tensions flared on August 29 when more than 30 Sadr supporters were killed in battles with the Iranian-backed army and faction.
Iraqi Kurd Abdel Latif Rashid78 years old, elected as the new head of state of Iraq, replacing Barham Saleh, by meeting in the diplomatic district and the fortified government of the capital.
Rashid won more than 160 votes against 99 for incumbent Saleh, a council official said.
Rashid’s first duties are expected to be to nominate a candidate for prime minister to replace the current prime minister, Mustafa al-Kadhemi, and try to form a new government for the crisis-stricken nation.
One favored candidate for prime minister is Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, 52, of the Shiite Muslim Coordination Framework, which includes pro-Iranian ex-paramilitary groups.
When Sudani was first proposed in July, it sparked massive protests by supporters of his Shiite rival, the fiery populist and cleric Moqtada Sadr, whose followers The spy breached the Green Zone and stormed the parliament.
A new reminder about IraqTrouble came on Thursday as lawmakers entered parliament, when a salvo of nine Katyusha-style missiles rained down on the area, security forces said.
At least 10 people were injured, including six members of the security forces or bodyguards of lawmakers, as well as four civilians in a nearby district, a security official told AFP.
US Ambassador Alina Romanowski condemned the attack “with the strongest terms” on Twitter and warned that “the Iraqi people must resolve their political differences and grievances only by peaceful means.” jar.
“Attacks like this undermine democracy and trap Iraq in a perpetual cycle of violence.”
‘Crisis breeds instability’
The democratic institutions built in oil-rich Iraq since the 2003 US-led invasion that toppled dictator Saddam Hussein remain fragile, and neighboring Iran wields great influence.
More than a year since the last general election, Iraq has so far failed to form a new government to address the problems the country is facing due to unemployment, deteriorating infrastructure, corruption, and corruption. impacts of climate change.
The United Nations Mission to Iraq this week warned that the “prolonged crisis is adding to the destabilization” and divisive politics are “generating bitter public disillusionment”.
Lawmakers had made three previous attempts to elect a new head of state, in February and March, but failed to even reach the required two-thirds threshold for some delegates.
Under Iraq’s post-Saddam power-sharing system, in order to avoid more sectarian conflict, the president of state is by convention a Kurd, the prime minister a Shiite, and the speaker of parliament a Sunni.
The President is usually held by the PUK of Rashid and Saleh. This year, the rival of the Kurdistan Democratic Party asked for the presidency but ultimately dropped the bid.
Rashid, an irrigation engineer well versed in environmental issues, is seen as a compromise candidate for a polarized nation.
Iraq’s rival Shiite political factions, the most powerful, competed fiercely for influence and the right to choose a new prime minister.
Sadr has pushed for parliament to dissolve and hold new elections, while the Coordination Framework has urged a new government before new polls are held.
The stalemate has seen both sides set up protest camps in the Green Zone this year.
Tensions flared on August 29 when more than 30 Sadr supporters were killed in battles with the Iranian-backed army and faction.
