State of Law reaffirms alliance with Taqaddum after Baghdad council dispute

BAGHDAD — The Shiite-led State of Law Coalition, headed by former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, reaffirmed its alliance with the Sunni-led Taqaddum bloc on Sunday, following internal tensions sparked by a contested vote in the Baghdad Governorate Council.

In a statement issued July 6, the coalition said it “confirms that it is committed to its understandings and agreements with all forces and blocs in the Baghdad Governorate Council and the Council of Representatives, and is keen to maintain positive relations with them in a way that serves the public interest and benefits citizens.”

It added, “Any statement contrary to this approach does not represent the decision or opinion of the State of Law Coalition.”

The clarification came after Ali al-Hafidh al-Azirjawi, head of the State of Law bloc within the Baghdad Council, announced Saturday that the coalition had suspended its alliance with Taqaddum. He cited a breakdown in coordination during a council session to appoint a new governor.

“Out of our commitment to respecting political agreements and understandings, and due to Taqaddum Bloc’s failure to abide by the terms agreed upon in the Document of Alliance for Decision and Reconstruction and its unilateral actions without consulting partners, we announce the suspension of our alliance with it for the time being, until there are real guarantees to respect partnership and consultation,” al-Azirjawi said.

The dispute centers on a July 3 vote, held in the absence of the council’s president and deputy, during which members moved to dismiss Governor Abdulmutalib Alawi, a State of Law figure, and voted to replace him with Hayder Muhan.

On July 5, the Baghdad Governorate issued a statement invalidating the session and reversing the outcome. “It was decided to cancel the previous session of the Baghdad Governorate Council that voted to dismiss Abdulmutalib Alawi and appoint Hayder Muhan as the new governor of Baghdad, and to vote by majority to keep Abdulmutalib Alawi as the capital’s governor,” the statement read.

Alawi was elected governor on Feb. 5, 2024, as the State of Law Coalition’s candidate. Though the bloc holds only nine of the council’s 52 seats, it remains a major force in Baghdad’s local politics.