On February 13, 2004, the UN representative in Iraq, Lakhdar Brahimi, said that the American plan for the Iraqi elections has to be completely modified. Moreover, in his opinion, direct elections cannot be held before June 30. Brahimi said "everybody agree that elections are very important, but holding credible elections is also very important". The problem is, which one? It now probable that the elections will be held in the second part of 2004 and not in December 2005 as the USA wants. The US plan to hand over power to an authority chosen in regional caucuses organised by the Americans is basically undemocratic and without any legitimity from day one as the Shia have already made it clear. Even the Iraqis saw it was in contrast to Bush administration's affirmations that the aim of the war was to bring democracy to Iraq and the whole Middle East. The first steps are not very promising and look more like a way to put Iraq in a kind of American empire.
On February 19, 2004, The Guardian said that the UN could agree with the USA, but against the Shia's wishes, that elections could be held before June 30. However, the UN envoy, Lakhdar Brahimi, in his forecoming report to the UN Security Council, will certainly suggest to delay elections until late this year, or early next year as the form of the caretaker government still needs more discussions.
Lakhdar Brahimi arrived in Baghdad on April 5, 2004, to discuss the June 30 transfer of power to a yet not-defined Iraqi government as well as the elections now foreseen for January 2005.
Lakhdar Brahimi attacked the way the USA is handling the occupation of Iraq, condemning holding prisoners without trial or charges as well as the siege of Falluja and the slaughter of Iraqi civilians in this city. He added that sacking former civil servants and soldiers because of their previous links to the Ba'ath party was a big mistake. On the other hand, he agreed with the US plan to nominate a prime minister as Iraq's chief executive, a caretaker government, and to dismiss the Iraqi Governing Council whose members were appointed by the USA.
The UN Security Council will meet on April 27, 2004, to hear a report by Lakhdar Brahimi on the situation in Iraq and to talk about what "vital role" the UN will have. Britain and the USA are now saying that the UN will take much of the responsibility for Iraq after the Americans abandon formally direct control on June 30. However Kofi Annan is not a fool and he knows that with about 135,000 US soldiers under US control in the country, the UN and the Iraqi interim government will have little to say. It seems that Brahimi is choosing the members of the interim government. If he can do it without US interference it would already be a good thing. Kofi Annan wants the Security Council to clarify what would be the UN role in Iraq before deciding if accepting to do it or not. He also wants to know what the coalition soldier's legal position will be and their autonomy. He is particularly angry at the brutal and bloody behaviour of the US troops in Falluja and in other cities of Iraq that has made them unpopular even with the moderate Iraqis.
On April 27, 2004, Lakhdar Brahimi presented his plan to the UN Security Council to establish a caretaker government in Baghdad on July 1. The main problem seems to be the willingness of the USA to keep most of the power while giving the impression that the interim government will be in charge. For instance, the new interim government, according to them, will have no authority over the budget and will not allowed to pass new laws. What sovereignty is that? American public will be duped but most people outside the USA will see what is going on. The type of democracy offered by the USA to Iraq is one of dependency: Do what we tell you to do, behave like good boys should, and you will be OK! Brahimi suggested a government with 25 ministers, a ceremonial president, two vice-presidents and a national conference to advice the government. Brahimi will choose all of the members, in consultation with the present Iraqi leaders. He added that he would choose mainly technocrats representing the diverse ethnic and religious communities. This probably means that the members of the present Iraqi Governing Council will be left out, but they will be allowed to be candidate in the coming elections. The main task of this government will be to prepare the general elections foreseen for January 2005. Brahimi, together with Kofi Annan, also criticised the blunt tactics used by the US soldiers. According to both of them this will make it also more difficult to reach a consensus at the UN Security Council. The French government again asked for a total transfer of power.
Prime Minister Blair received Lakhdar Brahimi in London, on May 3, 2004. They discussed the situation in Iraq and the fact that the interim government Brahimi is going to appoint will have practically no powers, the Americans remaining in charge, as it is the case now. The Americans said that they intend to hand over "full sovereignty but only limited authority". Once more the Americans are playing with words in giving nothing back to the Iraqis, as sovereignty without power is meaningless to all except the American public. In fact, the interim government will have no control over security, budget or laws while the majority of the Iraqis want the 150,000 troops to leave the country. This government will only last until the general elections foreseen for January 2005. Mr Brahimi will now be flying to Baghdad to discuss the formation of the interim government with the Iraqi Governing Council and the US-led coalition authority. The interim prime minister will probably be a Shia with the president and vice-presidents being Sunni, Shia and Kurd. A spokesman for the radical cleric Moqtada al-Sadr criticised the UN plan; he also said that what Iraq needs is not a caretaker government but the end of the occupation, adding that the UN was not an independent body but an American stooge.
On May 14, 2004, Lakhdar Brahimi, was still working on the task of nominating a president, two vice-presidents, a prime minister and more ministers. He intends to choose technocrats with no political ambition leaving the politicians fighting in the elections foreseen for January 2005. Members of the Iraqi Governing Council, on the opposite, want him to include them in the new government that will have a very limited power anyway, and certainly none over the American troops.
On June 13, 2004, the special UN envoy to Iraq, Lakhdar Brahimi resigned but he will retain his UN job of Special Adviser to the Secretary General, Kofi Annan. He fell sidelined and frustrated by the USA in the process of setting up the Iraqi interim government. He had been sent to Iraq by the UN Security Council to assist Iraq before and after the handover of power on June 30. This included participating in the making of the interim government. In fact the US authorities and the governing council members close to the US chose the prime minister, the president and the other ministers. Brahimi was left completely out of the process, even physically. He was especially opposed to the nomination of Iyad Allawi as prime minister. Afterwards he said, "It cannot be worse than Saddam Hussein" and described Paul Bremer as "the latest dictator of Iraq". The British media did not report the news. And the Americans are still saying that they are liberating Iraq, bringing democracy to the country while, at the same time, imposing the members of the interim government, choosing them among their "friends, of course, mainly former exiles with no local support. We will have to wait until the general elections to see what the country will look like politically as this government is only a creature of the USA and the killing will go on.
- Transfer of power to the Iraqis on June 30, 2004
On February 19, 2004, the UN agreed with the American timetable for the
transfer of power in Iraq, but they added that the elections should take
place as soon as possible after the transfer. The UN will give its opinion
on what the caretaker government should be, even if it upsets Washington.
The US insists, for electoral reasons that the handover of power must take
place on June 30.
On March 17, 2004, the Iraqi Governing Council invited the UN to come back to Baghdad and to advise them on setting an interim government. The Iraqis want the UN to play an important role to give some legitimacy to this un-elected government; the Americans agreed that the UN must be involved on choosing its members.
During their meeting on April 16, 2004, Bush joined Blair in welcoming a bigger UN intervention in Iraq. Bush even agreed on Mr Lakhdar Brahimi's suggestion to hand over power on June 30 to a transitional authority. However both men still have to convince their citizens and the Arabs.
On May 15, 2004, Tony Blair said that he wanted to give full sovereignty to Iraq on June 30 and not create a "puppet" regime. Britain wants to speed the creation of an Iraqi army, police and intelligence service. This is due in part to the criticisms to which he is subjected at home but also to the fact that Moqtada al-Sadr's fighters are moving south to the region under British control. Unfortunately the White House does not really want a sovereign Iraq and does not want to hand over important aspects to the interim government such as security. This is still a very weak point as the continuous withdrawal of reconstruction workers -as well as a forensic team charged to uncover the mass graves' secrets.
The transfer of "limited" sovereignty to the interim Iraqi government headed by Mr Iyad Allawi -the American choice for prime Minister- happened on June 28, 2004.
- The January 2005 Parliamentary elections
The process that led to the parliamentary elections of January 2005 was
so tedious and complicated that only a summary will be given here if only
for clarity.
- On February 23, 2004, the UN called for the creation of an independent
electoral commission in Iraq to organise direct elections by the beginning
of 2005.
- On February 24, 2004, Iraqi leaders welcomed an UN call for elections
by the end of the year or January 2005 but there are still some doubts that
democracy can be created before that time.
- On February 25, 2004, the Shia Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani called for
elections in Iraq by the end of the year. The elections should be guaranteed
by an UN resolution to convince the Iraqi people that there will be "no
more delaying and no more prolonging."
- Ashraf Jehangir Qazi, UN's new envoy to Iraq, said on August 19, 2004,
that he was confident the elections would go ahead in Iraq in January 2005,
despite concerns over the security situation.
- On September 27, 2004, given the level of violence in Iraq, it's hard
to dismiss UN Secretary General Kofi Annan's recent observation that it
will be impossible to hold credible elections there "if the security
conditions continue as they are now."
- Secretary of State Colin Powell said Thursday October 21, 2004, that the
United States would recognize the election of a Shiite Muslim government
in Iraq provided the voting is free, fair and open.
- On December 21, 2004, the American newspapers are telling us that the
main contenders to become Iraq's prime minister after the January 30, 2005,
elections are the Shiites Ayad Allawi (mow interim prime minister), Ibrahim
Jafari (interim vice-president) and Abdelaziz Hakim (head of the Supreme
Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq).
- On December 25, 2004, the American are worrying that the Sunni will not
be properly represented in the Iraqi Parliament following the election of
January 2005. The Bush administration is talking to Iraqi leaders about
guaranteeing Sunni Arabs a number of ministries and/or high-level job.
- On January 1, 2005, the Bush administration is already afraid of the possible
emergence of an Iraqi pro-Iranian government dominated by Shiite fundamentalists
following the January 30 elections.
- On August 7, 2004, Allawi the interim Prime Minister of Iraq said that
Moqtada al-Sadr is still welcome to participate in the national elections
programmed for January 2005.
- Elections in Iraq will go ahead as scheduled in January, even if some
Iraqis could not vote, Prime Minister Iyad Allawi said on Monday September
13, 2004. He acknowledged that there were problems in his country, especially
in the city of Falluja, but these would not prevent the elections being
held.
- On January 31, 2005, Iraqis are scheduled to elect a 275-member transitional
national assembly that will oversee the writing of a new Constitution and
then give way to a newly elected government by December 31, 2005.
- On November 1, 2004, the Iraqi citizens were asked to register for the
elections foreseen for January 2005.
- On November 21 and 26, 2004, the Iraq electoral commission decided that
the parliamentary elections would take place on January 30, 2005.
- On November 25, 2004, some Iraqi politicians are asking the government
to postpone for six months the elections foreseen for January 30, 2005.
They justify their request by the lack of security in Iraq and to give the
leaders more time to persuade the Sunnis not to boycott them but, on the
opposite, to fully participate.
- On November 27, 2004, the Shiite leadership and Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani
rejected the Sunni and Kurdish request of postponing the Iraqi elections
scheduled for January 30, 2005.
- On November 30, 2004, Iraqi interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi said that
he planned to meet Sunni leaders to try to persuade them to take part in
the January 30, 2005, elections.
- On December 1, 2004, the Iraqi president, Ghazial-Yawer, an influential
Sunni Muslim, said that the elections should not be delayed.
- Iraq's interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi met Iraqi Sunni tribal leaders
in Amman, Jordan, on December 1, 2004, to try to get their support for the
elections.
- On December 5, 2004, Sunni politicians renewed their request to postpone
the January 30 elections for safety reasons. The Shiites through the voice
of Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani refused.
- On December 8, 2004, Iraqi politicians including the interim Prime Minister
Ayad Allawi, are thinking of having the elections extended over a two or
three week period in some areas with the dates differing according to the
provinces. This would allow moving military forces from one trouble spot
to another, rather that controlling the whole country at the same time.
- On December 8, 2004, the leading Iraqi Shiite political group agreed to
unite under a single banner. This would help them to win a larger number
of seats and a majority in the parliament.
- On December 9, 2004, the Shiites under the leadership of Grand Ayatollah
Ali al-Sistani presented a unified list of 228 candidates for the parliamentary
elections. The candidates are from 23 Shiite parties but do not include
any followers of Moqtada al-Sadr. There are also representatives of other
communities like independent Sunni Muslims, members of the Yazidis minority
religious sect and Turkomans. One third of the candidates are women.
- On December 13, 2004, the US and Iraqi authorities are afraid that the
candidates for the incoming elections will be targeted by the insurgents.
- December 15, 2004, was the first official day of campaigning for the coming
parliamentary elections in Iraq. As usual there was many dreadful actions
by the insurgents. The main news however was that the interim Prime Minister,
Ayad Allawi, announced his candidacy describing himself as the antidote
to "religious and ethnic fanatics."
- On December 27, 2004, the largest of the Arab Sunni party, the Iraqi Islamic
party, pulled out of the elections blaming the poor security existing in
Iraq. It is not calling for a boycott of the elections but only for a six-month
delay.
- On December 30, 2004, three militant groups - the Ansar al-Sunnah Army,
the Islamic Army in Iraq and the Mujahideen Army- warned Iraqis against
voting. They added that people participating in this "dirty farce"
risked their life. As a result all 700 employees of the electoral commission
in Mosul resigned.
- On January 2, 2005, the Shiite leaders of the Iraqi United Alliance asked
the Sunnis to unite for the elections. The Sunnis asked for a postponement
of the elections; some of their parties pulled out and they asked their
followers to boycott the process.
- On January 11, 2005, interim Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi admitted
that some parts of Iraq will no be safe enough to allow the citizens to
vote freely but he will not postpone the elections.
- It was confirmed that nearly all election workers in the Ninevah province
that include Mosul resigned due to security fear.
- On January 15, 2005,Iraqis officials were considering new measures to
protect voters in the January 30 elections. Among other things all road-traffic
could be forbidden for three days.
- On January 18, 2005, we were told that many "Iraqis" living
in the USA are registering to vote in the January 30 elections. There are
five registration offices in the USA@ Nashville, Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles
and Washington.
- To improve security the Independent Electoral Commission said on January
18, 2005, that Iraq's borders will be closed for three days across the elections.
- On January 21, 2005, a pool made by an American firm showed that 80% of
the Iraqis intend to participate.
- On January 22, 2005, we were told that even the polling stations opened
in the US for the Iraqi elections are at risk.
- On January 23, 2005, the interim Iraq Interior Minister, Al-Naqib, said
that Baghdad airport will be closed for three days across January 30 to
increase security. There will also be restriction on the use of vehicles
for the same reason.
- On January 24, 2005, the Iraqi Shiites said they would not impose any
cleric in the government if they win the January 30 elections as foreseen.
The leaders of the main Shiite group, the United Iraqi Alliance, want to
choose laypersons as government ministers.
- Fewer that 25% -around 256,000- of eligible Iraqis living outside Iraq
have registered for January 30's elections. In the USA the number is closer
to 10%.
- Sunday January 30, 2005, the Iraqis will vote for a parliament that will
write the new constitution. The Shiites and the Kurds will vote "en
masse" but there is much doubt about the Sunnis' participation.
- On Election Day January 30, 2005, at least 44 Iraqis were killed in attacks
on the polling stations and many more were wounded. But the main news that
day was that the elections took place with a reasonable participation, except
in the Sunni regions.
- Three-day National Conference (July and August 2004) and Interim
Iraqi Council
- A nationwide congress will take place some time in July to try to give
legitimacy and credibility to the new interim government. The 1,000 participants
to the meeting that should last three days should select a 100-member National
Council that will have the power to approve the budget and, by a two-thirds
majority, to overrule the laws approved by the government.
- On July 29, 2004, the National Conference in Baghdad that must choose
a 100-members council has been postponed, at the UN request, for at least
two weeks. The new provisional date for the meeting is now August 15.
- On August 14, 2004, the head of the National Conference said that despite
the violence, the gathering was due to start the next day. The 1,300 delegates
will elect a 100-member national assembly that is to lead the country to
its first democratic elections, scheduled for the end of January. The conference
was to have been held by the end of July but many factions said they would
boycott the meeting and some of the country's multiethnic provinces had
difficulty in choosing slates of delegates.
- On August 15, 2004, the conference started in Baghdad amid new violence
in Najaf and the capital itself. The same day a group of delegates withdrew
from the conference after it opened in protest against the unrest in the
holy city of Najaf shortly. After four days of discussion the conference
elected the 100 members of the Iraqi National Assembly.
- On September 1, 2004, the interim Iraqi National Assembly convened for
the first time as Iraq took a small and tentative step toward representative
government. In the two-hour inaugural session, representatives took an oath
promising to work to make Iraq safer and more prosperous, and then departed.
The assembly's powers are limited, its most important task is to draw up
the rules that will govern national elections scheduled to take place in
January 2005.
- Election results
Apparently the Iraqi elections of January 30, 2005, were a success. On January
31, it looks that there was a large Shiite and Kurdish participation and
a much smaller Sunni one. About 8,000,000 people voted in Iraq, a global
participation in the elections of 60%. It is still too early to draw conclusions.
- On February 1, 2005, the leader of the Supreme Council for the Islamic
Revolution in Iraq, Abdul Aziz al-Hakim claimed that the United Iraqi Alliance
had won the Iraqi elections.
- On February 2, 2005, provisional figures for the results of the Iraqi
elected showed that the Shia United Iraqi Alliance could have won about
50% of the votes, that the Kurds did quite well (about 30%) and that the
Sunni parties did not receive many votes. The coalition led by the present
interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi is credited of 12 to 15% of the vote.
- On Thursday February 17, 2005, the Iraqi electoral commission certified
the results of the country's January 30 elections The National Assembly
will have 10 months to draft a new constitution. The assembly will soon
elect a president and two vice presidents and then will approve a prime
minister nominated by the president and vice presidents.
- The Shiite list won 48 percent of the vote and 140 seats; the Kurdish
alliance won 26 percent of the vote and 75 seats; Interim Prime Minister
Ayad Allawi won 14 percent and 40 seats. Despite the majority, the United
Iraqi Alliance will still need partners for certain decisions, for instance,
a two-thirds majority is needed to select a president and two vice presidents.
- National Assembly and Political haggling to choose a government
- Facing the prospect of a Shiite Muslim landslide, some Sunni politicians
offered on Saturday February 5, 2005, to participate in mapping Iraq's political
future. But Sunni rebels showed no sign of compromise. Officials of the
Shiite-led coalition said they wants the post of prime minister in the upcoming
government - casting doubt on chances that US-backed interim Prime Minister
Ayad Allawi can keep his job.
- On February 6, 2005, Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, the architect of what
appears to be a landslide victory by Shiite Muslims in the elections, will
shape the new government, impose his choice of prime minister and control
the drafting of the country's constitution. Ali Sistani wants his community,
long oppressed under Saddam Hussein, to run Iraq.
- On February 14, 2005, moves to form a new government are under way after
the announcement of full election results. The Shia United Iraqi Alliance
(UIA) was confirmed as winning nearly half the vote. However, the bloc will
not have a parliamentary majority on its own. Kurdish groups, which came
second, are seen as potential partners. The finance minister in the interim
government, Adel Abdel Mahdi, was widely tipped as the UIA's candidate for
prime minister but he declined to be a candidate.
- The two candidates for the prime minister job are Ibrahim al-Jaafari and
Ahmad Chalabi. The winner will be chosen by secret ballot after top Shiite
politicians failed to reach a consensus on February 17, 2005. However Grand
Ayatollah Ali Sistani will make the final choice.
- On February 21, 2005, tribal chiefs representing Sunni Arabs in six provinces
issued a list of demands - including participation in the government and
drafting a new constitution - after previously refusing to acknowledge the
vote's legitimacy.
- On February 21, 2005, interim leader Iyad Allawi's coalition formally
put him forward as a candidate after last month's elections won by a Shiite
alliance.
- Ibrahim al-Jaafari, Iraq's interim vice-president, was virtually assured
on Tuesday February 22, 2005, of becoming prime minister in the new government
after his candidacy was accepted by the United Iraqi Alliance.
- Iraq's new 275-member national assembly will hold its first session between
March 6 and 10 with or without an agreement on the line-up of the country's
next government.
- On March 4, 2005, more than a month after Iraq's historic election, ethnic
and sectarian divisions have stymied efforts to form a government, deepening
political uncertainty and delaying badly needed reconstruction. The divisions
and political horse-trading among Shiite, Sunni Muslims and Kurds have prevented
a new 275-member national assembly from meeting and a prime minister from
being chosen.
- On March 4, 2005, we were told that Ibrahim Jaafari, the prime-minister-to-be
in Iraq, is unlikely to hand over the nation's valuable oil assets to foreign
companies, but he won't be able to do much about the rest of the Iraqi economy,
which was strangled by Coalition Provisional Authority chief L. Paul Bremer
in rules and regulations benefiting Western business. For instance:
. Order #39: Privatise the country's 200 state-owned enterprises, permit
100 percent foreign ownership of Iraqi businesses, allow for complete repatriation
of profits without tax. No requirements for reinvestment, hiring local labour,
or provisioning public services. Labour rights non-existent.
. Order #40: Foreign banks can enter the Iraqi market and take a 50 percent
interest in formerly state-owned banks.
. Order #49: Drop the corporate tax rate from 40 percent to a flat 15 percent.
The income tax is capped at 15 percent.
. Order #12: Suspension of "all tariffs, customs duties, import taxes,
licensing fees and similar surcharges for goods entering or leaving Iraq,
and all other trade restrictions that may apply to such goods." Result:
A tidal wave of cheap imports wipes out locally made goods.
. Order #17: Security firms get full immunity from Iraq's laws.
. Bremer created a Board of Supreme Audit, and named a pro-American president
and assistants to oversee inspectors in all ministries who in turn oversee
government contracts and classified programs.
. Having done all this to assure continued American control over the Iraqis,
Bremer's crew managed to lose $9 billion in oil revenues meant for humanitarian
needs and for rebuilding the country.
- A powerful Kurdish party said on Saturday March 5, 2005, that it would
not back Iraq's main Shiite alliance for prime minister without assurances
that they would not impose an Islamic fundamentalist state.
- The spiritual leader of Iraq's Shiite majority, Grand Ayatollah al-Sistani,
said Saturday March 5, 2005, that the 140 members of the clergy-led United
Iraqi Alliance must finally unite and form a government one month after
Iraq's elections.
- The National Assembly will hold its first session on 16 March; deputy
Prime Minister Barham Salih said that if a government had not been selected
by then, discussions would continue within the assembly itself.
- As negotiations to form a coalition continued on March 7, 2005, between
the main Shia list and the Kurdish alliance, it is expected that the Kurd
will get the post of president, Ibrahim Jaafari, of the Shia Islamic Daawa
Party would be prime minister and the position of parliamentary speaker
might go to a Sunni.
- Outgoing Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi has declined on March 8, 2005,
an offer to join a new coalition government although he had been offered
a role proportionate to the 40 seats won by his list.
- Wednesday March 16, 2005, the first freely elected National Assembly in
recent history convened after last minute bargaining over Sunni Arab candidates
to head the parliament.
- Iraq's new interim parliament has ended its first session on March 16,
2005, without taking a vote on a new government after the parties failed
to agree on it. Talks between the Shia and Kurd parties are bogged down
over Kurdish issues. The session ended after the 275 deputies were sworn
in.
- Shiite and Kurdish leaders said Friday March 17, 2005, that Iraq's next
government could be formed within a week as they courted Sunnis and outgoing
Prime Minister Iyad Allawi to join a coalition.
- On March 23, 2005, the former ruling minority Sunnis are willing to participate
in a government although they boycotted the elections. Several Sunni groups
met last weekend to create a unified front and set of demands that they
will present to the Shiite and Kurdish leaders now hammering out a new government.
- Iraq's parliament is to meet for the second time on March 29, 2005, though
disputes have kept the political process at a standstill. Officials hoped
Tuesday's session would be able to pick a Sunni Arab parliament speaker,
but even that modest aim appears to be in jeopardy.
- Iraq's main political parties were still far, on April 1, 2005, from forming
a government two months after the elections. Sunni Arab leaders tried to
increase their role in a government. At the same time Sunni clerics issued
a fatwa encouraging their people to join the country's armed forces.
- On April 3, 2005, the new parliament finally elected a speaker, the Sunni
Muslim, Hajim al-Hassani, current industry minister. Hussain al-Shahristani,
a Shia Muslim, and Aref Taifour, a Kurd, will be his deputy speakers.
- On April 6, 2005, Iraq's parliament elected Kurdish leader Jalal Talabani
as the country's new president. His deputies will be former President Ghazi
Yawer, a Sunni Arab, and the Shia present Finance Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi.
The presidential team will nominate the prime minister - Shia politician
Ibrahim Jaafari- who will lead Iraq until new polls in December. Jalal Talabani
has been sworn in as interim president on April 7, 2005.
- On Thursday April 7, 2005, the Iraqi Shia leader, Ibrahim Jaafari, has
been officially nominated as the next Prime Minister. He will form a government
within then next two weeks. The previous Prime Minister, Iyad Allawi, has
resigned.
- Iraq's outgoing Prime Minister Iyad Allawi said on April 10, 2005, that
his party will join the interim government of his successor, Shia leader
Ibrahim Jaafari.
- Last-minute disagreements derailed Iraq's hopes of unveiling a government
on Thursday April 21, 2005, nearly three months after elections, with negotiations
also strained by a surge in violence.
- Iraq's major Shiite party decided on April 24, 2005, to form a Cabinet
without members of interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi's Iraqi List party.
Prime Minister-designate Ibrahim al-Jaafari could submit a list of ministers
to parliament in the next few days.
-
The Iraqi parliament approved on April 28, 2005, a new government by a large
majority despite failure to agree on seven top posts left vacant (Oil, Defence,
Electricity Industry, Human Rights and two deputy prime ministers). Prime
Minister Ibrahim Jaafari promised that they would be filled very soon. Shia
politician Ahmed Chalabi, a one-time US favourite, is part of it. The interim
National Assembly approved the cabinet list by 180 votes to five, with 90
MPs absent from the chamber.
What must now be done:
- 15 August: Draft constitution (six-month extension possible)
- 15 October: Referendum on constitution
- By 15 December: Parliamentary elections (or, if constitution is rejected,
a new assembly)
- 31 December: Constitutional government takes power
A senior Sunni leader, Vice-President Gazi Yawar, said that there were not
enough Sunnis in the cabinet. US President George W Bush welcomed the announcement,
saying the government would represent the "unity and diversity"
of Iraq. The new government is a series of "firsts" for Iraq:
- The first democratically elected government for half a century
- The first government dominated by the Shia majority rather than the Sunni
minority
- The first government in which the Kurds have around a quarter of the top
posts.
Mr Jaafari will temporarily head the defence ministry while Mr Chalabi will
act as oil minister. Mr Chalabi will also take one of the deputy prime minister's
posts. All posts must be filled by May 7, the constitutional deadline set
for forming the government.
- Iraq's leaders reached a deal on contested cabinet posts on Saturday
May 7, 2005. A Sunni Arab, Saadoun al-Dulaimi, became Defence minister to
combat insurgents while Ibrahim Bahr al-Uloum, a Shia, would run the Oil
Ministry. Talks are still going on to choose the deputy prime ministers.
- On May 8, 2005, Iraq's parliament approved six new ministers, but one
nominee immediately refused to join the government. Hashim al-Shible, a
Sunni Arab, turned down the post of human rights minister saying he had
not been consulted about the appointment and was selected only because he
was a Sunni. Abid Mutlak al-Jubouri, a Sunni Muslim, became one of three
deputy prime ministers and Usama al-Najafi, also a Sunni, was appointed
minister of industry. Moshen Shlash, a Shiite Muslim, took the electricity
portfolio.
- These appointments complete a 36-seat strong cabinet and end months of
political deal-making. The transitional government of Prime Minister Ibrahim
al-Jaafari must now draft the country's constitution and prepare for general
elections by year's end.
- Writing a new constitution
- Iraq's main Sunni Muslim clerical organization demanded a timetable for
the withdrawal of foreign troops Saturday February 5, 2005, as the price
of its participation in the drawing up of a new constitution.
- Sunni Arabs make up about a fifth of Iraq's population and have grown
increasingly isolated after boycotting national elections in January. American
officials have pressed Shiite and Kurdish leaders, who swept to power in
the elections, to draw more Sunnis into the political process.
- At a news conference Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari reiterated that
the deadline for writing the constitution would not be extended, nor would
elections for a permanent government in December.
- Sunni Muslims will join the panel drawing up a new Iraqi constitution
under a compromise reached on June 17, 2005. Shia leaders agreed to allow
Sunnis to take 15 of the panel's 55 seats as well as having 10 advisers.
Previously, Sunni parties had been seeking 25 seats.
- US officials say Tuesday July 19, 2005 that the assassination of two Sunni
Arab members of Iraq's constitution drafting committee will not halt work
on the document. The killing on a Baghdad street prompted several other
Sunnis involved in the process to walk out Wednesday, citing what they said
was the government's failure to provide adequate security.
- On July 25, 2005, Sunni Muslim representatives in Iraq say they are ending
a boycott of the committee writing a new constitution. The boycott was called
after the killing last week of two senior Sunnis involved in drafting the
constitution. The Sunni Arab constitution writers agreed to sit at the drafting
table again on July 25, 2005, in the run-up to a new charter on Monday after
their demands were met.
- On July 30, 2005, the framers of Iraq's constitution appeared likely to
enshrine Islam as the main basis of law in the country -a stronger role
than the United States had hoped for, and one some Iraqis fear will mean
a more fundamentalist regime.
- The team drawing up Iraq's new constitution considered giving itself more
time to write the document on Sunday July 31, 2005, but still looked set
to meet its mid-August deadline under intense US pressure.
- Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari met on Friday August 5, 2005,
with the country's top Shiite Muslim cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani,
and the two discussed the new constitution, which is to be finished in 10
days.
- On August 6, 2005, Iraq's Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari, said the
country's leading Shia cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, is prepared
to accept an Iraq set up on a federal basis if this is the wish of the people.
- Iraqi Kurds dug in their heels on Saturday August 6, 2005, a day ahead
of a much-anticipated meeting of leaders from across the country aimed at
breaking a deadlock on drafting the constitution. The role of Islamic law,
Iraq's Arab identity and control of the northern oilfields are key issues
for Kurdish negotiators.
- Iraq's president, Jalal Talabani, a Kurdish leader, urged a spirit of
compromise as political leaders gathered Sunday August 7, 2005, to try to
resolve differences over a new constitution. He made the appeal following
a meeting with US Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, who has stepped up pressure
on the Iraqis to meet the deadline.
- Even the weather is against the constitution. A blinding sandstorm in
Baghdad Monday August 8, 2005, forced the postponement of negotiations between
Iraqi political leaders working to overcome obstacles blocking agreement
on a new constitution, with only a week before a deadline to complete it.
- On August 12, 2005, Iraq's Sunni Arab elite expressed alarm after the
country's Shiite majority made a surprise move towards asking for a Kurdish-style
autonomy. Yesterday Shiite politician Abdul Aziz al-Hakim asked for autonomy
in Shiite areas of south and central Iraq and this angered Sunni Arab leaders,
who said it could derail the entire political process.
- There was still no agreement on the country's new constitution on Monday
morning August 15, 2005, only hours before a deadline to present it to parliament.
Hard bargaining is continuing between the political groups. Sunni leaders
will not accept a federal Iraq and have asked for that issue to be shelved.
But it has been suggested a document acceptable to Shia and Kurds could
go to parliament without Sunni backing. Some politicians are now thinking
to extend the deadline to reach an agreement.
- Iraq's National Assembly voted unanimously Monday August 15, 2005, to
extend for a week -until august 22- the deadline for negotiators to agree
on a draft of the constitution. The negotiators asked for an extension after
they failed to reach a compromise by Monday's deadline after months of talks.
Without the extension, the government would have been dissolved, requiring
new elections in December and starting the process again -a prospect the
United States has strongly opposed. The assembly voted about a half-hour
before the midnight deadline.
- On Saturday August 20, 2005, Iraqi negotiators are still struggling to
reach an agreement, as hundreds of Iraqis marched to press their demands
for a new government. The Shiite demand to enshrine Islam as the only source
of legislation but the Kurds said they still oppose the move. The United
States may be prepared to drop its objections to having Islam as the sole
basis of a new Iraqi government.
- Under strong US pressure Iraqi Kurdish and Shia politicians said on Sunday
August 21, 2005, that they were close to resolving differences over the
country's draft constitution but at the cost of isolating the Sunni Arab
minority. This raises the prospect that Sunnis might block the new constitution
in a later referendum.
- The Shia said on August 22, 2005, they have agreed with the Kurds the
draft text of a constitution to be presented to parliament for approval.
But, Sunni politicians said there was no consensus. MPs have gathered in
the chamber to receive the text but it is not clear what decision they will
make. Shia and Kurdish political groups have enough of a majority in parliament
to push through a draft constitution without the support of the Sunni.
- On August 22, 2005, Iraqi negotiators have been given another three more
days to reach agreement.
- Iraq missed yet a third deadline Thursday August 27, 2005, for finishing
the draft of the new constitution as faction leaders failed to make enough
progress toward compromise. Faced with an impasse, some lawmakers said the
document may bypass parliament completely and instead be sent straight to
the voters to decide in a referendum October 15.
- Negotiators for Iraq's Shia majority said a deal has been agreed on a
final draft for the new constitution on August 27, 2005, and the text will
be put to the Iraqi parliament for approval within the next two days. But
the minority Sunni Arabs contradicted the claim, saying there was no agreement
despite talks late into the night.
- Sunni leaders rejected the draft constitution on August 28, 2005 and called
for intervention by the UN and Arab league. The declaration by the team
of negotiators representing Iraq's Sunni minority came as a final version
of the document was presented to parliament. The Iraqi people will decide
in a referendum, scheduled to take place by mid-October, whether to accept
it. But as the Sunni community effectively has a veto, there is a high chance
the document will never come into force.
- Parts of the Iraqi draft constitution are a "recipe for chaos",
Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa said on August 29, 2005.
- About 2,000 Sunnis in Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit took to the
streets to voice their opposition to the plan. Many waved pictures of the
former Iraqi leader, and a statement was read out denouncing the constitution
as a "Jewish" document that would divide Iraq along sectarian
lines. In Baghdad, thousands of Shia gathered to show their support for
the draft constitution, which offers a measure of autonomy for millions
of Shia in the oil-rich south.
- Iraq's draft constitution was greeted on Monday August 29, 2005, amid
fears that it undermines the country's Arab identity and will inflame sectarian
tensions.
- The efforts to amend a draft constitution were abandoned on Tuesday September
6, 2005, and a version rejected by many Sunnis will be printed. The draft
constitution is a source of tension in Iraq as Sunnis, long the dominant
political force, fear losing influence to majority Shiites, who were oppressed
under Saddam Hussein.
- Despite urgent pleas from the United Nations to finalise the text of a
draft constitution to be put to Iraqi voters in a month, negotiators said
on September 11, 2005, they would go on talking to try to ease the threat
of a Sunni veto in an October 15 referendum.
- A final draft of the Iraqi constitution was handed to the UN for printing
and distribution on September 14, 2005. After months of negotiations the
draft is due to be distributed to Iraqis before a referendum on it in mid-October.
The draft now includes a statement that Iraq is committed to the charter
of the Arab League and it has a provision for two, rather than three, deputy
prime ministers.
- Constitutional referendum
- On August 19, 2005, we were told that Iraqis living in other countries
will not be allowed to vote outside Iraq in the October constitutional referendum,
as they were able to do in national elections this year. Farid Ayar, spokesman
for the election commission, cited the low turnout among Iraqi expatriates
in the January 30 balloting and the difficulty in meeting a condition for
determining whether the constitution has been approved.
- The United Nations has expressed its concern on October 4, 2005, to the
Iraqi government that last-minute changes to the country's electoral laws
do not meet international standards. Iraq's parliament approved on Sunday
new rules specifying that it would require a simple majority of those turning
out to vote to approve the draft constitution, while it would take two-thirds
of those registered to vote in at least three provinces to vote no in order
for it to be rejected.
- On October 5, 2005, Iraq's parliament reversed its decision to change
the rules governing a referendum next week on the country's new constitution.
Parliament has now decided to revert to the original rules - as both the
United Nations and Washington said it should. After a brief debate, MPs
voted 119 to 28 to restore the original voting rules for the referendum.
- On October 18, 2005. The independent electoral commission said statistical
irregularities in last week's referendum could indicate fraud, as many provinces'
figures were either too high, or too low by international standards. The
ballots will be re-examined delaying final results by several days.
- About 63% of Iraq's 15.5 million registered voters cast their ballots
in the referendum, the electoral commission said on October 21, 2005. The
highest turnout -90%- was recorded in the northern Kurdish province of Arbil.
The lowest -32%- was in the Sunni Arab province of al-Anbar. But Sunni Arabs
participated in much larger numbers than in January. Another province with
Sunni Arab majority, Salah al-Din in central Iraq, saw the second highest
turnout -88%- last weekend.
- Partial results on October 22, 2005, suggest at least one Sunni province
has rejected it. Based on a 20% sample of the votes, 81.5% have rejected
the constitution in Salahuddin, but in Diyala -which has a slight Sunni
majority- it was approved by just over 50%. No figures were given for the
other two Sunni provinces of Anbar and Ninevah. A two-thirds rejection of
the charter in both would torpedo the project. Shias and Kurds approved
the constitution with large majorities.
- Two of Iraq's 18 provinces have returned "No" votes, the electoral
commission said on Monday October 24, 2005, making Nineveh the swing province
that could veto the constitution. In the Arab Sunni province of Anbar, 96
percent voted "No", and in Salahaddin it was also rejected by
81 percents of the voters. The northern Nineveh province, which is mixed
between Arab Sunnis, Shiites, and other sects and ethnic groups, will decide
the fate of the referendum. Under Iraqi law the constitution will be struck
down if two-thirds of voters in three provinces reject it.
- Iraqi voters have approved the country's draft constitution, election
officials said later on October 24, 2005. Passage of the constitution paves
the way for parliamentary elections on December 15.
- Opponents denounced the result as a fraud and Sunni leaders warned that
the charter could provoke more violence. The final results showed 79 per
cent of those taking part across the country backed the constitution and
21 per cent opposed it. The turnout was 63 per cent. Although voters in
three Sunni-dominated provinces rejected the charter, the "No"
vote in Nineveh fell short of a two-thirds majority.
- December 15, 2005, parliamentary elections
- Several major Sunni Arab political movements announced on Wednesday October
26, 2005, that they were forming an alliance to contest December parliamentary
elections. The Iraqi Islamic Party and the National Dialogue Council joined
with the Conference of the People of Iraq to form the Iraqi Concord Front.
The front will run on a platform that includes setting a timetable for the
withdrawal of US forces from Iraq.
- On Wednesday October 26, 2005, Iraq's top Shiite cleric, the Iranian-born
Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, decided to withhold his endorsement of the
Shiite coalition that won last January's election. This reflected the cleric's
disappointment with the performance of Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari's
Shiite-led government. A senior official of al-Jaafari's Dawa party, Ali
al-Adeeb, confirmed that al-Sistani had not "yet" agreed to endorse
the Shiite alliance. Lack of an al-Sistani endorsement will reduce the chances
that the Shiite coalition to repeat its January 30 success in the next election.
Al-Sistani's support was credited for enabling the alliance to win 140 of
parliament's 275 seats, allowing it to form a government with the Kurds.
Failure to repeat such success could significantly alter Iraq's political
landscape, raising the possibility of a coalition government, perhaps without
the big Shiite religious parties with ties to Iran
- Iraq's next elections are on the run after parties flooded officials with
applications to be on the December 15 ballot as a deadline passed on Friday
October 28, 2005. About 334 parties and individuals have registered but
the main campaign for parliament will be fought among a handful of major
groupings reflecting Iraq's deep religious and ethnic divisions. The ruling
Shiite Islamist Alliance faces the Kurdish bloc with which it has ruled
in coalition since April, a secular bloc led by former premier Iyad Allawi,
and at least one broad group from the Sunni Arab minority.
- On October 29, 2005, Ayatollah Sistani, one of Iraq's most senior Shia
clerics, said he will not endorse any political groups for December's election.
The grand ayatollah wants Iraqis to vote according to their beliefs. The
ayatollah's statement may worry the ruling Shia-led coalition, the United
Iraqi Alliance. Sheikh Karbalai revealed that Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani,
a marja, or source of emulation for his followers, would not back any party.
- A Sunni Arab coalition has submitted its list of candidates on October
30, 2005, for the December election, joining other political factions in
the race and signalling greater Sunni participation in the process. At least
16 coalitions as well as an undetermined number of parties and independents
met the deadline yesterday of filing for the December 15 election, when
voters select a 275-member parliament to serve for four years. The election
follows the October 15 ratification of the new constitution, which many
Sunni Arabs opposed. Despite the failure of Sunni Arabs to block the charter,
the decision by a Sunni coalition to participate and the presence of prominent
Sunnis on other tickets indicated that many members of the community, which
forms the core of the insurgency, have not abandoned the political process.
The major blocs include a Shiite alliance built around two religious parties
with ties to Iran, a broad coalition led by former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi,
a secular Shiite, and the Sunni Arabs. Iraq's two main Kurdish parties will
run on a single ticket. Allawi's ticket includes several prominent Sunni
Arabs, including Vice President Ghazi al-Yawer and Sunni elder statesman
Adnan Pachachi, as well as the communists. It hopes to appeal to Iraqis
fed up with religiously based politics.
- Some 228 coalitions and political entities have registered to participate
in Iraqi parliamentary elections scheduled for 15 December, the Independent
Electoral Commission of Iraq announced on November 6, 2005.
- The grand Ayatollah Sistani and Abdul-Aziz al-Hakin said that they approved
the political campaign of the Shiite United Iraqi Alliance. This increases
the chance of the alliance winning many seats in the parliamentary elections.
- With parliamentary elections just days away, Iraq has closed its international
borders on December 11, 2005, and imposed a nighttime curfew around those
boundaries. There is a 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. curfew in the "demilitarised
zone" along the borders, a restriction in place until the end of the
month.
- Millions of Iraqis, from tribal sheiks to families with children, turned
out Thursday December 15, 2005, to choose a parliament in a mostly peaceful
election. So many Sunni Arabs voted that ballots ran out in some places.
The strong participation by Sunnis, the backbone of the insurgency, bolstered
US hopes that the election could produce a broad-based government capable
of calming the uprising so that the United States can begin to bring troops
home next year. The coalition of religious Shiite parties that dominates
the current government is expected to win the biggest portion of the 275
seats, but will almost certainly need to compromise with rival factions,
with widely differing views, in order to form a government. It could take
at least two weeks before final results are announced, officials said.
- On December 16, 2005, international observers have praised the organisers
of Iraq's parliamentary election, which they said generally met international
standards. There had been minor problems, but the vote had generally gone
well. About 11m Iraqis were estimated to have voted, a turnout of about
70%, with results due in two weeks or more.
- On December 20, 2005, it became clear that the big winner of the Iraqi
parliamentary elections will be the Shiite religious party. With about 90%
of the votes counted the United Iraqi Alliance received close to 60% of
the votes. This should already give them 110of the 275 seats in the parliament
whereas the Sunni have won 33 and the Kurds 40. However there are many complaints
and it is necessary to wait for the final decision of the Electoral Commission.
- On December 22, 2005, Sunni Arabs and secular Shiite demanded that an
international body review their complaints of election irregularities and
fraud. If it is refused they could boycott the parliament. The UN refused
to do it.
- The results of the Iraqi parliamentary elections will not be known before
January 2006 at the best. On December 23, 2005, the Electoral Commission
has still to decide on 1,500 complaints, about 40 serious enough to perhaps
change the results in certain areas. Moreover the Iraqi's Supreme Judicial
Court decided that some former high-ranking Baath Party member cannot be
elected. The Electoral Commission said that they will follow the court's
decision and this will result in a few prominent Sunni Muslim leaders, although
elected, will not be able to serve.
- On December 24, 2005, the Shiite religious parties said that it was not
necessary to repeat the parliamentary elections as the frauds, if any, had
very little effect on the final result. They went ahead trying to make a
government of "national unity" that would include the Sunni and
the secular Shiite that is those who complain the most. The electoral commission
confirmed that they intent to implement a court decision to remove about
90 former members of Saddam Hussein's outlawed Baath party.
- On December 28, 2005, the UN representatives in Iraq said that the recent
parliamentary elections were "fair" by international standards
and that they did not see any reason to repeat them. The religious Shiite
"the United Iraqi Alliance" will get about 130 seats but will
still need an alliance with the Kurds to form the government. It looks like
the infamous Ahmad Chalabi, the Americans' choice, will not be elected.
The Sunni are still crying fraud but nobody seem to listen to them. They
are only 20% of the population and they will not be able to rule anymore
as they did under Saddam Hussein.
- On December 29, 205, an international team agreed to look at the accusation
of fraud during the last parliamentary elections in Iraq. The International
Mission for Iraqi Elections will send experts to Baghdad.
- On December 31, 2005, Iraq's electoral commission asked the political
parties involved to remove from their list about 90 former members of Saddam
Hussein's Baath Party before the official results are published next week.
Among the 90 ex-Baath party members are two leader members of the secular
Shiite party of former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi. His party has the largest
number in the group of 90 but the electoral commission has not enough evidence
to expel them itself. The Iraqi courts will have to be involved. This show
what he is, an American stooge that does not represent the new Iraq but
only the old one.
- On January 16, 2006, Iraq's electoral commission ruled that more that
99% of the ballots of the December 15, 2005, parliamentary elections were
valid. However it threw out the votes from 227 ballot boxes because of fraud.
They added that this would not change the results. Uncertified results of
the elections could be released in the next few days. The commission studied
58 serious complaints out of a total of 1,985. Most of them were judged
to be minor transgressions.
- The results of the Iraqi parliamentary elections were released on January
20, 2006. As foreseen the Shiite United Iraqi Alliance (the religious Shiite)
got 128 seats out of 275 (down from 146); the two main Kurdish parties got
53 (down from 75) and two major Sunni Arab groups took 55 seats. Chalabi
was not re-elected but Ayad Allawi was. The parties have a few days to complaint
and then the results will become official. No party can form the government
alone so the discussions are going on to make a workable coalition possibly
between the three main groups.
- On February 10, 2006, the chief election commissioner Adel al-Lami confirmed
the conservative Shiite United Iraqi Alliance was the winners of December
elections, paving the way for the formation of a new government and opening
of parliament. The final results for 275-member parliament gave 128 seats
to the Shiite alliance, 53 for the Kurdish Alliance and 44 for the Sunni-led
National Concord Front and 25 for former premier Iyad Allawi's Iraqi National
List.
- A permanent government?
- On December 27, 2005, although the results of the parliamentary elections
were not yet published, the religious Shiite party had preliminary discussions
with the Kurds in view of forming a new government. Sunni protesters go
on saying that the elections were tainted by fraud.
- Finally on January 2, 2006, the Iraqi Sunni are seeing the light and they
are negotiating with the Kurds their participation in the future government.
The Kurds agreed, in principle, to accept the present prime minister, Ibrahim
al-Jaafari, to carry on leading the new government.
- On Saturday January 7, 2006, it looks like a coalition government will
be formed in Iraq within the next four to six weeks although the official
results of the elections have not been published yet. It should include
Shiite, Kurds and possibly, Sunni members.
- On February 11, 2006, the Shia bloc set to lead Iraq's first full-term
government has picked PM Ibrahim Jaafari as its candidate for prime minister
in the new cabinet. Mr Jaafari won by one vote over Vice-President Adel
Abdel Mahdi. The question for Mr Jaafari is if he can win the support of
Sunni and Kurd politicians, who have been critical of his time in office.
His transitional government has been widely accused of poor performance
and discrimination against Iraq's Sunni Arabs.
- Iraq's main Sunni Muslim bloc pulled out of talks on Thursday February
23, 2006, on the formation of a new government, blaming the ruling Shiite
alliance for sectarian violence that has killed dozens of Sunnis in the
past 24 hours following an attack on a Shiite shrine. It was not clear if
broader talks would now go ahead without the presence of the Accordance
Front, which includes the Iraqi Islamic Party.
- On March 1, 2006, Ibrahim al-Jaafari's nomination as prime minister of
Iraq is facing stiff opposition with non-Shia parties actively seeking to
block him from forming a government. Sunni Arab, Kurdish and secular parties
are expected to ask the United Iraqi Alliance, the Shia coalition that emerged
as the largest bloc in parliament after the December parliamentary elections,
to withdraw Mr Jaafari's nomination. Mr Jaafari, leader of the Shia Islamist
Dawa party, was nominated by the UIA. With the support of the movement led
by radical cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, he narrowly won an internal UIA vote,
defeating Adel Abdel-Mehdi, a vice-president and the candidate of the Supreme
Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (Sciri), a rival Shia party.
The Jaafari nomination has frustrated Iraq's other political factions, including
Kurdish, Sunni Arab and secular forces. Many Iraqi officials criticise as
ineffective and indecisive Mr Jaafari's performance as interim prime minister
over the past year. They fear his leadership of Iraq's first government
with a four-year-term could aggravate an already perilous security crisis.
- On March 2, 2006, Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari has cancelled a
meeting with senior political leaders, apparently to protest against a campaign
to oust him. Kurdish and Sunni Arab leaders are unhappy with Mr Jaafari,
and have said they will not join a national unity government with him at
its head.
- Meanwhile on March 3, 2006, Iraq's political players continued to wrangle
after an attempt to derail the nomination of interim Prime Minister Ibrahim
Jafari to a full term. Kurds, Sunni Arabs and a secular bloc led by former
Prime Minister Iyad Allawi have banded together in an attempt to persuade
the leading Shiite Muslim coalition to withdraw Jafari's name.
- Iraq's parliament will sit for the first time on Sunday we were told on
Monday March 6, 2006, starting the process for selecting new leaders, President
Jalal Talabani has announced. The sitting will set in motion a 60-day period
in which the constitution requires members to select a new prime minister,
president and cabinet.
- On March 7, 2006, Iraq delayed the first meeting foreseen for March 12
of the country's new parliament after its leaders failed to reach agreement
on who would lead the next government. They will probably meet on March
16
- On March 10, 2006, Iraq's president has invited parliament to convene
on 19 March, a day after the powerful Shia Alliance asked for more time
to negotiate a national unity government. Iraq's political leaders are deadlocked
over who should be prime minister in the new government. Sunnis and Kurds
are opposed to Ibrahim al-Jaafari, the Shia prime minister, staying on in
the powerful post. The Shia Alliance, which has close to a majority in the
parliament elected in December, is determined to resist the efforts to oust
al-Jaafari.
- IRAQ'S president said today Monday March 13, 2006, he was bringing forward
the first session of parliament to March 16 from March 19, the date of a
Shiite Muslim religious Arbain festival. Iraq's political leaders are deadlocked
over who should be prime minister in the new government. Sunnis and Kurds
are opposed to Shiite Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari staying on in the
powerful post. Mr Jaafari and the Shiite Alliance insisted he would stay.
- Only hours after a recount of ballots from the Iraq election began on Monday May 3, 2010, leaders of Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki's coalition objected to the way it was being conducted and sought a court order for a more thorough review of what they called election irregularities. The objection added to an already convoluted and protracted political struggle. It threatened to delay further the certification of the final results of the election, held nearly two months ago.
- On May 5, 2010, Iraq's two biggest Shia political groups, the Iraqi National Alliance and The State of Law bloc, led by incumbent Prime Minister Nouri Maliki, have announced they are to form a coalition, the first such announcement since elections in March. The number of seats held by the new coalition falls just short of the number needed to form a government. It has not been revealed who would be their choice for Prime Minister.
- A suicide bombing at a football stadium has killed 10 people and injured 120 others on May 14, 2010. An attacker detonated explosives hidden inside a vehicle at the entrance to the stadium in Tal Afar, a mainly Shia Turkmen town west of Mosul. The blast was followed by at least one other. Three suicide bombers were involved according to some sources.
- More than two months after Iraq's parliamentary polls, the electoral commission said on May 15, 2010, it has ended a partial recount and found no cases of fraud. The recount was requested by incumbent Prime Minister Nouri Maliki, whose coalition came second in the poll, according to provisional results. The announcement marks an important stage on the road towards ending a long period of political deadlock. Many fear the deadlock is creating an environment insurgents can exploit. It took 11 days to recount by hand all 2.5m ballots cast in Baghdad and the surrounding area.
- The leader of the Sunni-backed coalition that won the most seats in Iraq's March election said the country's most influential Shiite cleric assured him in a meeting Sunday may 23, 2010, that no group would be excluded from the new government. The Sunnis could be excluded after the two Shiite blocs that came in second and third in the parliamentary vote formed an alliance likely to lead to another Shiite-dominated government, much like the current one. The Iraqiya coalition, led by former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, is not part of the alliance. Allawi met Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani in the holy city of Najaf, where the cleric lives. He said al-Sistani said the next government should serve without "excluding and marginalizing any group," an apparent reference to minority Sunnis who have felt politically sidelined since 2003.
- Iraq's election commission said on May 26, 2010, it's sending the final results of the March 7 elections to the Supreme Court for certification. The commission has rejected all appeals of the results by candidates, which paved the way for submitting the tally to the court. A Sunni-backed bloc won the most seats in the 325-member parliament, but fell far short of a majority. An alliance of two Shiite blocs -which together are just four seats short of a majority-, is now expected to form the next government.
- Iraq's prime minister said Saturday May 29, 2010, that he is the only nominee from his political party to run the nation's next government, rejecting suggestions of a consensus candidate to satisfy those concerned about his leadership. Other Shiite political groups and religious leaders whose support al-Maliki is depending on have been lukewarm at best about him remaining in the job.
- On Monday May 31, 2010, a three-member electoral board threw out appeals brought by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's bloc against two winning candidates in Diyala province from the rival Iraqiya list. The electoral judiciary panel also ruled that a third candidate -Ibrahim al-Mutlaq of Iraqiya, who was accused of having ties to Saddam Hussein's outlawed Baath party-, would be allowed to serve in the new parliament.
- On June 1, 2010, Iraq's Supreme Court ratified the results of parliamentary elections, confirming the secular coalition led by former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi received the most votes. None of the political groups in the March 7 vote were able to secure the 163 seats needed to form a majority. Mr. Allawi's coalition had the most seats with 91, just two more than the mainly Shiite group led by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.
- Iraq's two main Shia groups, which performed strongly in recent elections,
have merged on June 11, 2010, to form the biggest alliance in the new parliament.
The bloc, to be called the National Alliance, brings together the prime
minister's coalition with other Shia factions, including followers of radical
cleric Moqtada Sadr. It will be just short of an absolute majority in parliament
but well ahead of the rival secular-Sunni bloc. The new parliament opens
on Monday.