State of Law Coalition spox talks surveillance probe in PM’s office, Al-Sudani’s second term ambitions

BAGHDAD — Aqil Al-Fatlawi, spokesperson for the State of Law Coalition led by Nouri Al-Maliki, expressed concerns over the continued tenure of an individual accused of involvement in an alleged surveillance network targeting senior state officials. He added that the coalition will take a clear stance once the investigation results are revealed. Al-Fatlawi also commented on Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani’s potential ambition for a second term, stating that while there is “no issue” with such aspirations, they should not come “at the expense of the governorate.”

Below are key excerpts from his interview on Al-Rasheed TV:

We in the State of Law Coalition oppose the surveillance activities conducted by the “Juhi Network” and are awaiting the investigation’s findings. Our position will be clear once the judiciary issues its final ruling.

We do not understand the reasons behind the Prime Minister’s Office’s decision to keep the accused individual in his position, though our information suggests his behavior during the protests was positive.

The State of Law Coalition continues to support the current government, as it emerged from within our coalition, and we have not observed any legal shortcomings from the Prime Minister in handling the surveillance issue thus far.

It is neither logical nor customary for the Coordination Framework, or any of its members, to attempt to undermine Al-Sudani’s government by exploiting the surveillance issue, particularly if the Prime Minister and his office are found to be innocent.

If we had intended to undermine Al-Sudani’s government, we would have formed an opposition bloc in Parliament. Currently, there is no substantial opposition in Parliament, except for a few MPs whose influence does not compare to that of the parliamentary blocs.

No one expects Al-Sudani to seek advice beyond what the constitution grants him, but we will not permit any overreach beyond constitutional limits. This is something we have not observed in the Prime Minister’s actions, despite some concerns raised by the Coordination Framework about his decision-making without consulting them on certain matters.

Focusing on specific developmental aspects at the expense of others is not appropriate; while projects aimed at easing traffic congestion are beneficial, they should progress alongside the development of the health and education sectors.

There is no issue with Al-Sudani’s ambition for a second term if he continues to provide good service, but our concern is that his ambitions might come at the expense of the governorates’ rights. We are striving to find common ground between our perspective as MPs and that of the Prime Minister and his advisors.

No parliamentary speaker can impose a specific electoral law against the political blocs’ wishes. I do not believe Al-Sudani’s support for Salem Al-Issawi is related to this, and media speculation on the matter is unproductive.