BAGHDAD (Xinhua/AFP) – Iraqi leaders have called on the country’s political blocs to overcome their differences on the formation of a new government.
The call was made on state television by President Barham Salih, Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, and Parliament Speaker Mohamed al-Halbousi, shortly after Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr’s bloc said it will boycott a planned session on Monday to elect the country’s new president.
“Today, we stand before the aspirations of our people who have long suffered from crises and disasters, wars, tyranny and terrorism, and the time has come to overcome them through good governance,” Saleh said.
The Iraqi leader warned that the “continuation of the status quo is no longer acceptable” and called for “the formation of a new capable government” in a “peaceful” and “democratic” manner.
Al-Kadhimi, for his part, warned of what he called “enemies of Iraq who are betting on the failure of democracy in the country”.
“Democracy is the safest and clearest way to cruise nations towards peace and coexistence,” al-Kadhimi said.
Al-Halbousi, meanwhile, called “for dialogue and integration of roles” in the spirit of brotherhood.
Saturday’s appeal came on the anniversary of the assassination of Mohammad Baqir al-Hakim, the leader of the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution, who was assassinated in a bomb attack in 2003 in Iraq’s southern province of Najaf.
The largest bloc in the Iraqi parliament now, led by powerful cleric Moqtada Sadr, announced Saturday a boycott of Monday’s parliamentary session to elect the new president.
The bloc’s parliamentary chief, Hassan al-Izari, told a news conference they will not attend, making a vote less likely although technically a quorum could be reached.
On Sunday, Iraq’s Supreme Court said it had temporarily suspended Hoshyar Zebari, a frontrunner for the presidency, on the eve of parliament’s vote on the position, citing charges against him.
It was the second blow in 48 hours to Zebari’s presidential drive, and the latest chapter in the country’s politics.
The court said it had received a complaint from lawmakers that Zebari’s candidacy was “unconstitutional” because of the graft claims, adding that his suspension was “temporary” while the court considers the case.
Zebari was one of two main contenders for the largely ceremonial post of president, which the 329-member parliament was to vote on Monday.
The other favored candidate is the incumbent Barham Saleh.
Iraq’s highest judicial body said the complainants consider that Zebari does not fulfill constitutional requirements that the head of state must have “a good reputation and integrity”.
Zebari, 68, has always denied all corruption accusations.