Wednesday, May 4, 2016

Sadr Trying To Play Kingmaker In Iraq


Moqtada al-Sadr is attempting to become the pre-eminent party boss in Iraqi politics. After years of trying he finally co-opted the anti-corruption protest movement in Baghdad. That culminated in his followers temporarily taking over the Green Zone in the heart of the capital during the weekend. He has also become one of Prime Minister Haidar Abadi’s only supporters as he attempts to push through his reform package for the government. As Sadr has done before he wants to turn his pull with the Iraqi street into political power by dictating terms to the prime minister and threatening the other elites with future demonstrations if they do not comply.

Moqtada al-Sadr was able to take over the protest movement in Iraq to push his agenda. The latest demonstrations started in 2015. As usual they demanded an end to corruption, better services like electricity, and political reform. Sadr first called out his followers to join them in August. He then attempted to gain credibility with the masses by ordering his deputy premier Bahaa al-Araji to resign his position when Prime Minister Haidar Abadi announced that he was dismissing his deputies to save money. Then in February 2016 Sadr announced his own reform program that included a new non-partisan, technocratic cabinet like the one the prime minister suggested. He then gave Abadi a 45 day deadline to enact change. In the meantime he would hold more demonstrations. By March his people started a sit-in outside the Green Zone, culminating in Sadr himself walking into that sector and having his own personal protest. Finally, on April 30 Sadrists led crowds into the Green Zone occupying the area for the weekend. There were all kinds of complaints by Iraqi politicians against these actions, calling it mob rule to claiming it was the end of the post-2003 political order. Similar views were expressed in the foreign press. Mob rule might be the closest of those evaluations. Sadr has tried to take over these demonstrations unsuccessfully for years now. In 2016, he finally succeeded. His followers were able to co-opt the protesters’ and then impose his demands. He can now use them to threaten and intimidate the other ruling elite. That’s exactly what the march through the Green Zone was meant to do. Sadr did not want to overthrow the governing system as some claimed, but control it instead.

Sadr has also thrown around his weight in parliament and with Prime Minister Abadi. First, as Abadi pushed his reform package the other parties that backed him began peeling away, while Sadr’s Ahrar bloc remained with him. At the same time, the Sadrists became increasingly critical of the premier. For example, in November 2015 and January 2016 the bloc complained that Abadi wasn’t pushing hard enough on his changes. In February, a Sadr spokesman claimed the prime minister had missed a great opportunity to reform the government. Later that month the movement threatened to withdraw their support for Abadi if he didn’t move forward with his program, followed by remarks about a no confidence vote against him. Sadr then created a committee, which came up with 90 nominations for Abadi’s new cabinet. Finally, when the PM got his ministerial candidates before parliament in April the Sadrist MPs joined a sit in protest, which attempted to dismiss Speaker of Parliament Salim al-Jabouri, a strong ally of Abadi. Sadr then pulled his members and said the demonstrations should end so they could vote on Abadi’s ministers. All of these moves highlighted Sadr’s attempts to become the new boss in Iraqi politics. He wasn’t just satisfied with being a backer of the premier, he wanted to dictate the terms of his reform package using threats, protests, and jabs. His move to join the protesting MPs who tried to vote out Speaker Jabouri was meant to cut Abadi’s allies so that he would become more dependent upon Sadr. Just as the protests outside and eventually inside the Green Zone were meant to pressure the premier’s actions, Sadr’s machinations within the government were meant to strong arm Abadi to comply with Moqtada’s demands.

It is unclear what will become of Sadr’s strategy. Abadi’s attempt to take the ministries away from the ruling parties has angered almost everyone. That has fractured the dominate Shiite National Alliance with Dawa splitting between pro-Abadi and pro-Maliki factions, and the Supreme Council abandoning the PM. Again that is part of Sadr’s plans to make Ahrar the only bloc that Abadi can rely upon outside of his own Dawa members. On the other hand, the political discord makes it almost impossible to get anything through parliament, which is necessary to change the government. Sadr’s coercive methods must also be trying on Abadi’s nerves. In the end, Sadr could just be adding to the dysfunction in Baghdad, which would undermine his goal of becoming the kingmaker as paralysis will ensure rather than any meaningful change.

SOURCES

AIN, “Araji responds to Sadr order and resigns,” 8/10/15

eKurd, “Iraqi Kurds demand fair share in next cabinet to support Abadi,” 2/23/16

Iraq News Network, “Sadr directed his deputies to vote on the dismissal of the president of parliament,” 4/19/16
- “Sadrist: Abadi failed and weak,” 3/19/16

Kazimi, Nibras, “What is happening in Iraq?” Talisman Gate, Again, 2/23/16

Al Mada, “Abadi facing criticism from the Liberals and Citizens and dissatisfaction by the marjariya on the reluctance on reforms,” 1/11/16
- “Abadi mortgages the small committee and excludes the Ministers of Defense and Electricity,” 3/28/16
- “The Citizens and Liberals: the formation of a front for reform depends on Abadi obeying his partners,” 11/6/15
- “Karbala backstage meeting: the coalition parties proposed the nomination of technocrats for the ministries and independent bodies,” 3/7/16
- “Prime Minister will resort to Plan B in event of failure to convince the masses of his reforms,” 3/14/16
- “Protest in solidarity with Abadi’s decisions and want to hold the corrupt accountable,” 8/9/15
- “Rapprochement between State of Law and the Supreme Council paves the way for partial modification of nine ministries,” 3/17/16
- “Sit in deputies in parliament hall sign a code of conduct for the formation of a new government,” 4/12/16

Martin, Patrick with Anagnostos, Emily, Bessette, Rachel and Werman, Hannah, “Warning: Iraq’s Shi’a Parties Split Over Cabinet Reshuffle Amidst Protests,” Institute for the Study of War, 3/25/16

Middle East Eye, “Iraq’s Abadi unveils new cabinet list as Sadr ends protests,” 3/31/16

Morris, Loveday, “Protesters leave Baghdad’s Green Zone a day after ransacking parliament,” Washington Post, 5/1/16

New Sabah, “Abadi identifies two paths of reform and choice of ministers reached an advanced stage,” 2/29/16

NINA, “Tens Of Thousands Of Sadrist And Civil Activists Arrive To Tahir Square,” 3/11/16

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, “Iraq’s Sadr Calls On Followers To Join Protests,” 8/24/15

Raheem, Kareem and Kalin, Stephen, “Iraq’s Sadr begins sit-in inside Green Zone to push for reforms,’ Reuters, 3/27/16

Reuters, “Powerful Iraq Shi’ite cleric says PM’s position at stake unless he reforms,” 2/26/16

Sotaliraq, “Sadr calls for demonstration in their millions next Friday in Tahrir Square,” 2/22/16
- “Sadr’s spokesman: Abadi missed a great opportunity and he could have overcome the crisis,” 2/21/16

Trofimov, Yaroslav, “Cleric’s Role Reversal Upends Iraq’s Political Order,” Wall Street Journal, 3/30/16

Xinhua, “Followers of Shiite cleric begin sit-in protest near Baghdad’s Green Zone,” 3/18/16
- “Prominent Shiite cleric urges Iraq’s protesting legislators to end sit-in,” 4/20/16

Zeed, Adnan Abu, “How religious movements gained the upper hand in Iraqi protests,” Al Monitor, 4/6/16


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