The political process
in Iraq is facing real problems and Abdul Mahdi is in trouble, observers say.
Muqtada
al-Sadr has put himself in danger after he could again defeat the
Iranian-Qatari alliance to influence the government formation, and he refused that
the government be completed with figures loyal to other states and came with
the funds of Qatar and Iran, observers said.
They
added that Doha and Tehran will take an action against Sadr, affirming that his
life is currently in serious danger.
Prime
Minister Adil Abdul Mahdi is facing several obstacles to completing his cabinet
formation because of the Shiite-Shiite rivalry between the two largest blocs
led by two rivals: Muqtada al-Sadr and Hadi al-Amiri. The latter leads an
Iranian-backed faction.
Sovereign
Ministries
Six
months after the election, which was said to draw Iraq out of the effects of
the war and corruption that lasted for years, the Shiite-Shiite conflict
around the sovereign ministries has paralyzed all attempts to form a
government.
Although
the two largest blocs won in Iraq's parliamentary elections in May, they
still hinder the formation of the government, which led to the postponement of
the vote in parliament on the candidates for the remaining ministries.
Sadr's
Saairun Alliance and Amiri's Al-Binna'a Coalition earlier agreed to choose a president for
Iraq. However, the political negotiations have been largely frozen since then for several
reasons, mainly the disagreement over the Interior Ministry post that has been
dominated for years by Amiri's allies.
Observers
said that the situation in Iraq is going to worsen in the coming period,
especially amid the insistence of Iran and Qatar on the appointment of Faleh al-Fayadh as interior minister and the objection to his nomination by Sadr.
Jaafar
al-Mousawi, a spokesman for Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, said on Tuesday that
Sadr would not stand by the government if the government defied the will of the
people and the clerics.
Mousawi explained
that the new government headed by Prime Minister Abdul Mahdi will fail if
independent ministers are not appointed.
Political stalemate
Many
MPs in parliament consider that the consensus between the two blocs has become
impossible.
Abdul Mahdi finds himself in the midst of political differences in Iraq, which
is disappointing to Iraqis waiting for social and economic reforms they were promised.
Abdul Mahdi also faces challenges including the protests of the people of
Basra, which has been renewed.
Dhiaa
al-Asadi, a senior adviser to Sadr, said that Abdul Mahdi has to complete the
formation of the government and submit names despite the difficulties he is
facing concerning the nomination of the interior and defense ministers.
Asadi
said that Sadr would give Abdul Mahdi six months to form a full government
before Sadr decides to withdraw his support to Abdul Mahdi.