Significance of al-Abadi alliance with the PMF in the parliamentary elections

By: Baher Abdul Azim

Despite the fact that the political scene in Iraq is still complex at this time, the Iraqi political forces prepare to participate in the eligibility of parliamentary elections, which revealed a surprise may cause a lot of controversy in the Iraqi arena during the coming period.

The Iraqi PM Haider al-Abadi form the “Victory alliance” to participate in the upcoming parliamentary elections in May, facing his predecessor, Nouri al-Maliki, this is consider an unprecedented division of the Islamic Dawa party, the largest Iraqi party and the second oldest Iraqi parties after the “Iraqi Communist Party” which leads the government coalition since the first government produced by an elected parliament in 2005.

Al-Abadi defended his scheme in an official statement said that “the Victory alliance would go ahead to preserve the victory, sacrifices of martyrs, as well as to fight against corruption, for all Iraqis. He also strengthens on the unity of the country and national sovereignty, stressing that he determined to correct the course of the political process.

Al-Abadi seeks to establish a new political path and rebuild the state institutions according to the Constitution, adding that he will begin the battle for construction after the liberation of all the territory of Iraq, and the coalition will help him.

Significance of Al-Abadi alliance

The “Victory alliance”, which is headed by Al-Abadi, held an alliance with the “conquest coalition”, headed by Hadi Amiri, the Secretary General of Badr Organization. The Supreme Council of this alliance headed by Hamam Hamoudi, in addition to eight factions from The Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) as; “Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq” which translate as (League of Righteous People) headed by Qais al-Khazali. Source said.

The Virtue block, The National Reform Trend, (headed by Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari), As well as Independents block, headed by Hussein al-Shahristani, have joined to the “Victory Coalition” of Al-Abadi, in addition to another three Sunni forces blocks, one of them belonged to the former Defense Minister Khaled al-Obeidi, its name is “Goodness banners”.

The “Victory Coalition” pointed out that it will keen to develop the wealth of people and invest it to achieve the country prosperity, asserting its determination to adopt expertise, professionalism and participation all the provinces residents in running the unified Iraq.”

Vice President Nouri al-Maliki, announced his candidacy for the upcoming parliamentary elections within the coalition of “state of law”, prompting “Dawa” party  to retreat from participating in a unified list and left the option for its members to support the lists of Al-Abadi  or al-Maliki. “The emergence of two lists does not mean it is a confrontation between two persons, but is a confrontation between two projects, visions, and different alliances” Al-Maliki’s spokesman, Abbas al-Moussawi, said. He added that “the Dawa Party adopted the two lists, and did not exert any regional pressure, neither Iranian nor American.

However, the political analyst Essam al-Faily, said that “Iran will have a big role, and will not allow the Shiite entities to fragmentation,” pointing out that “Sunni parties will also support the Shiite alliances influenced by Iran”.

Significance of Al-Abadi alliance

In turn, the candidate for the National Coalition, former MP Karim Dulaimi, said that “the coalition submitted all the official papers to register electoral lists in the various Iraqi provinces,” explaining that the Union of forces, which includes most of the Sunni parties, split between the alliance with Vice-President Iyad Allawi, who head the National Coalition, and Osama Najafi”.

For his part, Dia Karim, (spokesman for the Party of Integrity, founded by the leader of the Sadrist Movement last December), said that “the party of integrity alliance with several civil parties, including the Iraqi Communist Party,” asserting that he will announce today the completed coalition.