AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): The fifth parliamentary election in Iraq was held on October 10, 2021, especially amid particular international, regional and domestic situation which was coupled with challenging sidelines. It seems to be normal to some extent in a country like Iraq as a country that practices transition and where the foundations of democracy are not solidified yet.
Hamid Khoshayand, Analyst of international affairs
In a short period after the election, different analyses have been presented in the regional and international political and media circles. The common point of all these analyses which to some extent are in line with the American viewpoints concentrates on two issues:
- Maximizing the sidelines of the election including “low turnout” and “fraud” therein
- Failure of Resistance Front and Shi’ism movement in Iraqi election
This is the case while if we explore the Iraqi election and its results under the developments and conditions when the election was held, we conclude remarkable findings. Some people in certain centers as well as American and European think-tanks and also in regional Arab circles try to summarize the Iraqi election with some conceptual assumptions as “the failure of Resistance Current”, “low turnout of people” and “fraud in election” is nothing but to distort the resultants of the election.
Iraqi parliamentary election has “remarkable” and important aspects which will be touched upon as follows:
First; victory of Iraq and Iraqi nation against “the U.S. failure” is the most remarkable aspect of the Iraqi parliamentary election. The U.S. coupled with UK, the European Union, United Nations, some adjacent Arab regimes and some circles in line with the White House inside Iraq had started extensive efforts within the framework of a specific security-political “project” several months before the election in order to prevent holding the Iraqi parliamentary election. Even if the election was held in due time, they still wanted the people not to participate in, and if the people participate, they will manipulate the results of the election.
The project was trying, through different ways and means, to prevent or hamper the process of election to be held in due time and to keep Iraq on the state of limbo and uncertainty, and thus to facilitate and proceed with different pre-planned scenarios and pave the ground for introducing a pro-American government either through coup or other means. After the Shi’ite authority along with the insistence of parties and political currents as well as Resistance groups to hold the election on October 10, 2021, the U.S. project which had complicated and dangerous dimensions and was followed within the framework of extensive psychological and media operations failed completely.
Second; Victory of Islamic Paradigm and Resistance Front was the second outstanding characteristic of Iraqi election. Shi’ites, Sunnis and Kurds were the three large and main currents in Iraqi election.
Shi’ites including Al-Fath Coalition, affiliated to Hadi Ameri, State of Law, affiliated to Nouri Al-Maliki, and Saairun Coalition led by Muqtada Al-Sadr, National Forces Coalition affiliated to Heidar Ebadi and Seyed Ammar Hakim, whose motto was “National Unity and Standing against Occupation” managed to win altogether 179 equal to 52% of seats of the parliament.
Sunnis who were generally participated within the framework of two coalitions of Progress Coalition affiliated to Mohammad Al-Halboosi and Al-Azm Coalition affiliated to Khamis Khanjar were present in election campaign managed to win 73 seats or 22% of the total seats of the Iraqi parliament.
Kurds also participated within the framework of three coalitions of Patriotic Union of Kurdistan along with Gouran-Taghir (Change), Democratic Kurdistan Party Coalition and New Generation Coalition. They managed to win 72 seats or 21% of the total seats of the Iraqi parliament.
This is the case while the exclusive list supported by the U.S. won only 9 seats of the parliament! In the meantime, many outstanding personalities such as Adnan Zarfi, Salim Jabouri, Osameh Najafi and … with clear reliance on the U.S. failed to open their way to the parliament.
Third; the major victory of Muqtada Al-Sadr in the parliamentary election does not mean the victory of the paradigm or an attitude that stands against other Shi’ite coalitions or Resistance Groups. Despite all differences of opinions that exist between Muqtada Al-Sadr and other Shi’ite personalities and currents as well as combatant Iraqis, this should not be forgotten that the current under the leadership of Muqtada Al-Sadr is always defined under the Islamic Paradigm, Anti- U.S. and Anti-Zionism definition in Iraq.
Moreover, Sadr household is also considered among deep-rooted, noble and combatant households in Iraq that dedicated many martyrs to fight against despotic regime of Saddam and terrorism. In the course of the recent meeting held in Erbil aiming at so-called reviewing the normalization of relations between the Zionist regime and Iraq, Muqtada Al-Sadr was among few Iraqi distinguished personalities who took strong position against the idea and declared that Iraq, by no means, will normalize her relations with the Zionist regime.
The fact that Muqtada Al-Sadr has differences of opinion with some Shi’ite parties and Islamic Republic of Iran is not a deniable issue, but these differences are all “tactical” and on the methods not strategic, substantive or the quality of the disputed issues. Therefore, on the contrary to the expectations of Americans, while winning 70 seats of the parliament, Muqtada Al-Sadr will not enter into hostile and convulsive approach with Resistance Front and or other Shi’ite fractions who form a strong bloc in parliament as long as setting up the government is concerned.
It must be noted that in the process of setting up government in Iraq, “consensus” has more effectivity than “majority” and is more influential.
Finishing the trend on the Election Day and finalizing the results on the number of seats in the parliament does not mean the end of election. An important part of the election process, i.e. the election of the Prime Minister has not been sorted out yet. From the morning after the vote counting ended, foreign forces such as the U.S., Europe and some regional Arab countries have started new endeavors to leave influence on the process of selecting the prime minister.
Fanning the differences and “disputes among Shi’ite-Shi’ite” is the most important trick of the U.S. to influence the election process to select the prime minister. Nothing can foil the U.S. project as much as “Strategic Unity among Shi’ite Currents” in parliament.
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