ABNA24 - After months of heated talks led by the ruling parliamentary majority the Shiite Coordination Framework (SCF), the Iraqis finally named their new prime minister. While speculations were around prominent figures like ex-PM Nouri al-Maliki, finally a lesser known to the country's politics figure was named: Ali Faleh Kadhim al-Zaydi. Amid these tense conditions, the man has a difficult job ahead and he will grapple with an array of serious challenges ahead both at home and at regional levels.
Alwaght News has talked to Hassan Hanizadeh, a West Asia political affairs expert, asking him for elaborations on the case.
Q: Why has the SCF named al-Zaydi as new PM while there were more significant options on the list of candidates and observers saw bigger chances for them?what happened that the bloc picked a lesser known and lesser experienced figure?
Hanizadeh: In fact, the selection of al-Zaydi as Iraq's prime minister is a surprise in the country's political sphere, as he is considered the youngest prime minister in the past three decades. Al-Zaydi has only a background in commercial and business activities, and after a series of intense negotiations within the Shia Coordination Framework, this figure was agreed upon by this major parliamentary faction.
The Coordination Framework's first candidate was Nouri al-Maliki, who faced a veto and interference from the United States and Donald Trump himself. After the Shiite Coordination Framework announced that al-Maliki, a seasoned political figure, was the final candidate for the position, Trump ordered that all of Iraq's assets and funds in the US Treasury be frozen, creating problems for Iraq.
Therefore, after a series of negotiations, a largely non-political figure like al-Zaydi was introduced as the final candidate. He is expected to seek a vote of confidence from parliament. This shows that Iraqis, under pressure and interference from the US and some regional countries, were forced to select a non-political figure, but one with a purely economic and financial background, as the final prime minister. This selection, while al-Zaydi has relatively moderate political inclinations, could be considered very effective in Iraq's domestic and foreign political arena.
Q: You have information from the details of the new PM. Has this chouce been a consensus or the bloc? Or there was another mechanism?
Hanizadeh: This selection was a consensus among the political factions within the Shiite Coordination Framework. Iraq's constitution is completely clear: in fact, after the election of the president, there is a specific timeframe in which the prime minister must be selected. The final candidate was Ali al-Zaydi. Previously, other figures in Iraq, including Mohammad Shia al-Sudani, Nouri al-Maliki, and others, had been proposed. However, disagreements among the Shiite, Kurdish, and Sunni factions led the Coordination Framework to choose this figure, who was relatively unknown in political spheres. The factions came to the conclusion that this individual could be effective in the current circumstances.
Q: Even after election of Nizar Amidi as president, it can be said thar al-Zaydi picking is the second Iraqi surprise. In presidential debate, we observed that a coalition of new Kurdish, Sunni, abd Shiite leaders beat the older generation, headed by al-Maliki and Barzani. Do you think that with this choice, the Iraqi politics will move to cutting the influence of older figures?
Hanizadeh: Now, a kind of revision is taking place in Iraq's political and economic spheres, because the approach of traditional and older generations, 23 years after the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime, has not been very successful in domestic affairs, especially in terms of livelihood. Figures like Jalal Talabani, Nouri al-Maliki, and Haider al-Abadi, despite having done many services and enjoyed great popularity among the people, are no longer what Iraqis want. Instead, Iraqis are looking for newer faces who can elevate the country's economic standing under current conditions. Given al-Zaydi's background in commerce and economics, the attention of Iraq's new generation is shifting toward him, something indicating that economy takes precedence over political and global matters.
Q: What do we know about al-Zaydi's vision on such important matters as the relations with the US, Iran, and the Arab world?
Hanizadeh: He has more moderate views. Although he is affiliated with Shiite factions, he has a stronger economic focus. Regarding political issues, in which he has less experience, he will certainly rely on older, more seasoned figures. Therefore, it remains to be seen in which direction Iraq will move politically under him. However, most of the country's domestic policies are influenced by popular movements and parliamentary factions that shape government policies. Thus, al-Zaydi cannot operate outside the framework of the Shiite groups.
Q: In Iraq politics are interwoven with economy. As we know the US imposes sanctions prominent figures and its dollar dominance over Iraq holds the country’s economy hostage. Baghdad faces major pressures over its close ties to Tehran. What challenges will these factors present to the new government and its intention to advance its economic plans?
Hanizadeh: In such critical circumstances, Iraq is moving from an unstable phase toward a stable situation. However, the American interference in its internal affairs will pose a serious challenge for the new government, as Iraq's financial and banking operations are effectively controlled by the US Treasury Department, forcing the Iraqi government to coordinate its fiscal policies with Washington.
Another issue is the interference of some regional Arab countries, which believe that because Iraq is part of the Arab world, it must operate within the framework of the Arab League. Some of these Arab states are reluctant to see Iraq maintain close relations with Iran, and in this regard, the Baghdad government must take the concerns of Arab regimes into account.
Furthermore, Iran, as Iraq's large neighbor, with shared borders and historical ties, has significant influence over Iraq's social, political, and security spheres. Any Iraqi government that distances itself from Iran could face serious challenges. Therefore, it can be said that Iraq's new prime minister must navigate these challenging domestic, regional, and international factors with great finesse, because walking this path is like treading on the edge of a sword.
Q: One of the challenges regarding election of the PM is public acceptance of this choice. People expect the new PM to counter corruption circles and settle livelihood issues, counter the American occupation. For these matters to be addressed, a strongman is required. Do not you think that electing a a compromise PM will push the people to thinking that al-Zaydi will be a pawn pc the seasoned politicians?
Hanizadeh: The Iraqi people are now pessimistic about the policies of previous governments. On one hand, governments are condemned for having allowed the United States to dominate all political, economic, and security spheres of Iraq. Currently, a very complex situation prevails in Iraq, and the Americans will not allow an independent government to come to power that prioritizes the interests of the people over Washington's interests.
Therefore, in these circumstances, the new prime minister must steer Iraq toward national independence with intelligent management. Otherwise, if the Americans feel that the new cabinet is confronting the West, they will set up roadblocks ahead of it.
New Iraqi generation expects al-Zaydi to create a better economic condition and the Americans will wait to see what approach the new cabinet will have regarding Iran. If it decides to move closer to Tehran, pressures will be built on Baghdad, indeed. So, we can say that al-Zaydi should walk a tight rope between Iran and the US. He also needs to take into account the Arab countries and the home factions to get Iraq out of the current situation.
/129
Your Comment