[Salon] Iraqi Parliamentary Resignations and Replacements (June 2022)

[Chas Freeman <cwfresidence@gmail.com>]

Iraqi Parliamentary Resignations and Replacements

(June 2022)

Developments in Iraqi Parliamentary Replacements:

• On June 24, Iraqi parliament swore in new legislators in response to the Sadrist bloc’s mass resignations. 64 new lawmakers were confirmed. 
• The Iraqi Constitution stipulates that unoccupied parliamentary seats will be given to the district’s second ranking candidate. 
• Thus, the Iraqi Coalition Framework, consisting of Iran-backed politicians, gained 40 additional seats, bringing their current representation to approximately 130 of parliament’s 329 seats.  
• Several parties made substantial gains. 
• Al-Fatah gained 11 seats.
• The State Forces Alliance gained 7 seats. 
• The Emtidad movement gained 7 seats.
• The State of Law Alliance gained 5 seats.
• Huqooq gained 5 seats. 
• The National Covenant gained 4 seats. 
• The National Approach gained 3 seats. 
• According to the assembly’s media office, 9 seats remain empty.

What Invoked the Parliamentary Resignations?

• On October 10, 2021, Iraq held its fifth parliamentary elections since the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.
• Initially meant to take place in 2022, these elections were moved forward to 2021 to appease public dissatisfaction over unsatisfactory public services and political corruption. 
• Al-Sadr won the biggest hold of the parliament, increasing the number of seats from his party to 73 members. He aimed to form a majority administration.
• Growing disagreement between parties created an ongoing political standoff and, consequently, Iraqi politicians had exceeded all previous deadlines to form a government.
• On June 12, over 70 members of the Sadrist bloc, parliament’s largest political bloc, announced their resignation from Iraq’s 329-member parliament.
• The mass resignation decree was prompted by bloc leader Muqtada al-Sadr, who requested members step down to combat parliament’s eight-month long inability to elect a prime minister and form a government. 
• Al-Sadr argued that the resignation will assist in undermining the stalemate, thus paving the way for a governmental formation.

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