Iraq’s political dysfunction has entered a new phase with the prime minister designate failing to form a government. Mohammed Tawfiq Allawi had been named in February as a compromise candidate to form a transitional government. However, he was unable to build the consensus needed to get his Cabinet across the finish line. Baghdad is back to square one, with no prime minister and no clear road map of how to get out of its political rut.
Announcing his inability to form a government, and thus withdrawing his name from the running, Mr Allawi said that he was faced with the possibility of "being prime minister while not being honest with my people and continuing in this position while they suffered…so the choice was simple and clear". It is worth noting that Mr Allawi only withdrew his candidacy after Parliament failed to meet quorum and it was clear that no government could be formed under his leadership.
Read More from Mina Al Oraibi
There are no calls of outrage over Mr Allawi’s withdrawal. The reaction to his nomination was already mixed. Some lauded the fact that he was not a member of any of the discredited political parties and that he was generally not complicit in any of the corruption plaguing the country. Others, including many of the protesters on Iraq's streets, criticised choosing a former member of Parliament and minister who was a member of the political elite that harmed the country in the first place.
Speculation is rife over who will be given the chance to form a Cabinet next – guesses range from former prime minister Adel Abdul Mahdi to the head of the Iraqi intelligence service, Mustafa Al Kadhimi.
Regardless of who the next candidate is, the political process to confirm him (it most certainly will be a man) is in itself problematic. Any candidate named by President Barham Salih has to pass a vote of confidence in Parliament, as mandated by the constitution. This was meant to be a process to ensure good governance and consensus-building. Instead, political blocs have used this constitutional provision as a way to hold the entire process hostage. And they have largely done this by refusing to turn up in Parliament, meaning no quorum is met and thus no decisions can be made.
The irresponsible nature of this behaviour results in Iraqis being left in political limbo as political players meet behind closed doors to jockey over interests and government posts. As a new cycle begins in the search for a candidate, the futility of the political system and its inability to deliver good governance are made even clearer.
The political vacuum in Baghdad comes at a time when government services are much needed, especially with the outbreak of the coronavirus. Not only is a whole-of-government effort needed to stem the spread of the virus, but the drop in oil prices could mean that an economic crisis is just around the corner for Iraq.
Everything from air travel to oil extraction is under threat, especially as China’s CPC is the main international oil company that runs Iraq’s largest oil field, Majnoon. No concerted effort has been made by the caretaker government to quell travel from Iran, where all the cases in Iraq originate from. Nor has it proposed tangible measures to deal with this global health emergency. Three million internally displaced Iraqis, with hundreds of thousands living in tents, are incredibly vulnerable to this disease.
The spread of coronavirus and drop in oil prices could mean that economic crisis is just around the corner
Iraq’s problems are further compounded by a new nonsensical law that enforces a retirement age of 60 years across all government entities. From bank managers to ambassadors, those with the longest years of experience will be forced to step down from their positions from January 1, 2021. The idea behind the decision was ostensibly to give more young Iraqis a chance to get promoted across government entities. In reality, however, the decision is ad hoc and no serious measures were put in place to ensure a proper handover across government sectors.
As Iraq goes into its fourth month under a caretaker government, the country’s political class is proving its ineptitude. Meanwhile, protesters continue to call for tangible change. Their demands are largely unchanged: good governance, ending corruption, and upholding the country’s sovereignty. Despite the killing of more than 600 protesters so far, the kidnapping of dozens and injury of thousands, the protest movement that began last October remains strong.
The latest failure in forming a government has further highlighted the justified complaints of activists. The disagreements were not over a governmental programme, but rather over which political party got which ministerial seat to extend its own patronage. The cracks in the political system are getting deeper, emphasizing the need to overhaul the system in its entirety, rather than just play the usual game of musical chairs in forming a new government.
Mina Al-Oraibi is editor-in-chief of The National
RESULTS
West Asia Premiership
Thursday
Jebel Ali Dragons 13-34 Dubai Exiles
Friday
Dubai Knights Eagles 16-27 Dubai Tigers
LIVING IN...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
COMPANY PROFILE
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
Analysis
Members of Syria's Alawite minority community face threat in their heartland after one of the deadliest days in country’s recent history. Read more
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
SPECS
Nissan 370z Nismo
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Transmission: seven-speed automatic
Power: 363hp
Torque: 560Nm
Price: Dh184,500
The Freedom Artist
By Ben Okri (Head of Zeus)
Tips to keep your car cool
- Place a sun reflector in your windshield when not driving
- Park in shaded or covered areas
- Add tint to windows
- Wrap your car to change the exterior colour
- Pick light interiors - choose colours such as beige and cream for seats and dashboard furniture
- Avoid leather interiors as these absorb more heat
Fireball
Moscow claimed it hit the largest military fuel storage facility in Ukraine, triggering a huge fireball at the site.
A plume of black smoke rose from a fuel storage facility in the village of Kalynivka outside Kyiv on Friday after Russia said it had destroyed the military site with Kalibr cruise missiles.
"On the evening of March 24, Kalibr high-precision sea-based cruise missiles attacked a fuel base in the village of Kalynivka near Kyiv," the Russian defence ministry said in a statement.
Ukraine confirmed the strike, saying the village some 40 kilometres south-west of Kyiv was targeted.
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Results
6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 Group 1 (PA) US$75,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
Winner: Ziyadd, Richard Mullen (jockey), Jean de Roualle (trainer).
7.05pm: Al Rashidiya Group 2 (TB) $250,000 (Turf) 1,800m
Winner: Barney Roy, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
7.40pm: Meydan Cup Listed Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 2,810m
Winner: Secret Advisor, Tadhg O’Shea, Charlie Appleby.
8.15pm: Handicap (TB) $175,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Plata O Plomo, Carlos Lopez, Susanne Berneklint.
8.50pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner: Salute The Soldier, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass.
9.25pm: Al Shindagha Sprint Group 3 (TB) $200,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Gladiator King, Mickael Barzalona, Satish Seemar.
Coal Black Mornings
Brett Anderson
Little Brown Book Group
Tonight's Chat on The National
Tonight's Chat is a series of online conversations on The National. The series features a diverse range of celebrities, politicians and business leaders from around the Arab world.
Tonight’s Chat host Ricardo Karam is a renowned author and broadcaster who has previously interviewed Bill Gates, Carlos Ghosn, Andre Agassi and the late Zaha Hadid, among others.
Intellectually curious and thought-provoking, Tonight’s Chat moves the conversation forward.
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