Baghdad, July 27 (AFP\/APP): Supporters of powerful Iraqi cleric Moqtada Sadr on Wednesday danced and sang after storming parliament in the capital’s high-security Green Zone, in protest at a rival bloc’s nomination for prime minister.<\/p>\n
Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi called on the protesters to “immediately withdraw” from the heavily fortified Green Zone, which is home to both government buildings and diplomatic missions.<\/p>\n
The protests are the latest challenge for oil-rich Iraq, which remains mired in a political and a socioeconomic crisis despite elevated global energy prices.<\/p>\n
Sadr’s bloc emerged from elections in October as the biggest parliamentary faction, but was still far short of a majority and, nine months on, deadlock persists over the establishment of a new government.<\/p>\n
Police fired barrages of tear gas in a bid to stop the protesters.<\/p>\n
But state new agency INA said that protesters had “entered the parliament building”, while Iraqi television showed crowds wandering around the building, waving national flags and cheering.<\/p>\n
Kadhemi warned in a statement that security forces would ensure “the protection of state institutions and foreign missions, and prevent any harm to security and order”.<\/p>\n
Pro-Sadr officials went to persuade protesters to leave, an interior ministry official said.<\/p>\n
An AFP correspondent in the Green Zone had earlier seen protesters carrying a fellow demonstrator who had been hurt.<\/p>\n
– Political crisis –<\/p>\n
Sadr’s bloc won 73 seats in last year’s election, making it the largest faction in the 329-seat parliament. But since the vote, talks to form a new government have stalled.<\/p>\n
The protesters oppose the candidacy of Mohammed al-Sudani, a former minister and ex-provincial governor, who is the pro-Iran Coordination Framework’s pick for premier.<\/p>\n
The Coordination Framework draws lawmakers from former premier Nuri al-Maliki’s party and the pro-Iran Fatah Alliance, the political arm of the Shiite-led former paramilitary group Hashed al-Shaabi.<\/p>\n
“I am against the corrupt officials who are in power,” said protester Mohamed Ali, a 41-year-old day labourer. “I am against Sudani’s candidacy, because he is corrupt.”<\/p>\n
Iraq was plunged deeper into political crisis last month when Sadr’s bloc quit en masse.<\/p>\n
Sadr had initially supported the idea of a “majority government” which would have sent his Shiite adversaries from the Coordination Framework into opposition.<\/p>\n
The former militia leader then surprised many by compelling his lawmakers to resign, a move seen as seeking to pressure his rivals to fast-track the establishment of a government.<\/p>\n
Sixty-four new lawmakers were sworn in later in June, making the pro-Iran bloc the largest in parliament.<\/p>\n
Earlier this month, hundreds of thousands of Muslim worshippers loyal to Sadr attended a Friday prayer service in Baghdad, in a display of political might.<\/p>\n
The huge turnout came despite scorching heat and the Shiite cleric not being there in person — an indication of his status as a political heavyweight, as well as a key religious authority.<\/p>\n
The mercurial cleric’s sermon took aim at rivals from other Shiite factions.<\/p>\n
“We are at a difficult… crossroads in the formation of the government, entrusted to some we do not trust,” Sadr said in the speech on July 15, read out by Sheikh Mahmud al-Jayashi.<\/p>\n
Some factions have shown they are “not up to the task”, he added.<\/p>\n
Sadr’s sermon took particular aim at the Hashed al-Shaabi, which has been integrated into the army, but is seen by many Iraqis as an Iranian proxy.<\/p>\n
Hashed supporters last year protested near the Green Zone, demonstrating against what they said was vote “fraud”.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Baghdad, July 27 (AFP\/APP): Supporters of powerful Iraqi cleric Moqtada Sadr on Wednesday danced and sang after storming parliament in the capital’s high-security Green Zone, in protest at a rival bloc’s nomination for prime minister. Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi called on the protesters to “immediately […]<\/p>\n
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