Delays in local government formation reflect political consensus challenges, says MP

JANUARY 8 — A member of the Legal Committee, Mohammed Anooz, said he expects a delay in the formation of local governments after the elections due to the absence of consensus among political blocs.

Anooz criticized the “export of party problems” to the streets, describing the Iraqi people as “a bewildered people of God” due to the rapid changes in positions and orientations, adding “no one knows what they want.”

Anooz said:

The delay in forming governments is a manifestation of the challenges in reaching consensus for distributing positions, with societal interest often being neglected.

There is an anticipated delay in the formation of local governments, accompanied by contradictory statements from the same coalition. One faction suggests a comprehensive change in all governors, while another claims it is not unanimous. Another speaks of determination. Why create anxiety in the streets?

The Coordination Framework should resolve the matter among themselves and then present its stance to the public. As I mentioned before, we are a bewildered people of God. No one knows what will happen next, and political positions change frequently, which is inconsistent with a political process that requires sacrifices.

I was in favor of forming a government based on the political majority in 2021. I stated that one faction or current should take the lead, and the other should be on the opposite side.

In the southern governorates, how will the issue be addressed for someone who received half? Who will move there to become the half plus one, and how will this transition occur, as in Karbala and Basra?

I fear a process similar to what happened in Najaf and other governorates, where individuals move from one place to another for a sum of money rather than based on principled positions.