Basra Governor Asaad Al-Eidani says next PM should come from his governorate

BASRA — Basra Governor and Al-Tasmim Coalition leader Asaad Al-Eidani said the province “deserves to have the prime minister come from it,” citing Basra’s infrastructure and growing political influence ahead of Iraq’s November 11 parliamentary elections.

In an interview with Dijlah TV, Eidani praised Basra’s development, particularly at its border crossings, saying they are “better than the roads they face in neighboring countries.”

He highlighted his coalition’s previous electoral performance, saying, “In the Basra provincial council elections, we won 12 out of 22 seats, and we will achieve a similar equation out of the 25 seats allocated to Basra in the federal parliament this term.”

Eidani described Basra as “the main pillar of Iraq’s rise” and said the governorate “is now one of the pillars of Shia political decision making.”

Turning to national politics, he said the Coordination Framework “does not represent a Shia consensus due to the absence of the Sadrist Movement.” Influential cleric Muqtada Al-Sadr has boycotted formal politics since June 2022, when he ordered the resignation of all 73 Sadrist lawmakers from parliament. Sadr has continued to reject participation in the current election cycle.

Eidani added that discussions about a second term for Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani “should come after the elections.”

Al-Sudani was appointed prime minister in October 2022 following a prolonged political deadlock after the 2021 elections. His government emerged from a consensus among the Coordination Framework, Kurdish, and Sunni blocs.

Ahead of this year’s parliamentary vote, Al-Sudani launched the Reconstruction and Development Coalition to contest the elections, with some members of his bloc predicting they could win as many as 100 seats.

Sudani’s own political list, the Al-Furatayn Movement, won only one seat (increasing to three after the resignation of Sadrist MPs) in the 2021 parliamentary elections that led to his appointment.

Excerpts from Asaad Al-Eidani’s interview with Dijlah TV:

Whoever warns about the return of the Baath knows nothing. The destruction of the country is because of what the Baath established.

If I become prime minister I would choose Nechirvan Barzani for the presidency and Mohammed Halbousi for parliament.

Basra deserves to have the prime minister come from it. The infrastructure at Basra border crossings is better than the roads they face in neighboring countries.

My relationship with Tehran and Washington is good.

We built schools and hospitals that are better and more numerous than all the regimes that ruled Iraq. We have Shia professionals who performed better than the dictatorial regimes.

In the Basra provincial council elections, we won 12 out of 22 seats and we will achieve a similar equation out of the 25 seats allocated to Basra in the federal parliament this term.

The formation of the next government will be quick and will not exceed the third month.

The Coordination Framework experience does not represent a Shia consensus due to the absence of the Sadrist Movement.

The Sudani experience was led by the Framework. Talking about a second term for Sudani should come after the elections.

I will never go against the Shia consensus. Basra is the main pillar of Iraq’s rise. Basra is now able to make its own decisions compared to previous governments.

When I became governor of Basra everyone was fleeing the position because of the crises.  Basra is now one of the pillars of Shia political decision making.

The Sadrists are obedient to their leadership and will not give their votes to anyone.