‘The third path’: pro-Sudani coalition predicts 70 seats in November elections

BAGHDAD — Mohammed al-Sayhoud, a senior figure in the Reconstruction and Development Coalition led by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, said the group expects to secure at least 70 seats in Iraq’s parliamentary elections set for Nov. 11, framing the bloc as a “third path” in politics.

In remarks to Al Iraqiya TV, al-Sayhoud credited the government with restoring public confidence, citing biometric registration totals. “The number of people who have updated their biometric cards has surpassed 21 million,” he said.

He rejected criticism that the government’s work has been confined to overpass projects. “The unseen projects are more than the visible ones, even though overpasses are very important,” he said. “To anyone who criticizes us on this matter, we ask: Why didn’t you accomplish these overpasses yourself?”

Al-Sayhoud said the coalition’s platform aims to reduce Iraq’s dependence on oil revenues. “What we will offer in the next phase is that non-oil revenues become the foundation, not oil — or at least equal to it. This is a plan currently set by the prime minister,” he said.

Excerpts from Al-Sayhoud’s interview with Al Iraqiya TV:

The greatest achievement of the government has been restoring trust between the citizen and the political process. The evidence is that the number of people who have updated their biometric cards has surpassed 21 million. This indicates a very high readiness to participate in the elections.

We cannot reduce the government’s achievements to overpasses. The unseen projects are more than the visible ones, even though overpasses are very important. To anyone who criticizes us on this matter, we ask: Why didn’t you accomplish these overpasses yourself?

I am in contact with the people, and they are very ready to turn toward the Reconstruction and Development list. In every governorate, our list will lead the elections. Many Sunni brothers have said themselves that if the Prime Minister runs in the Sunni governorates, he will receive more support than we do.

Reconstruction and Development is the third path, and this is its identity. The first path is the Coordination Framework. The second is outside the Coordination Framework, and its identity is different. The third path is Reconstruction and Development, which is the national path.

When I speak of the western governorates and Baghdad, and we are running with a list, we do not know whether our candidate is Sunni or Shia.

We will not have fewer than 70 seats in the elections. There is an impression that we will form the government alone, and there is concern about this impression. But in my opinion, this is not possible. A government cannot be formed by a single political bloc or one component or one sect. In my opinion, this is not possible. This is regarding forming the government. As for the premiership, it is certainly, constitutionally, the entitlement of the largest parliamentary bloc.

What we will offer in the next phase is that non-oil revenues become the foundation, not oil—or at least equal to it. This is a plan currently set by the Prime Minister. We will also move forward with completing strategic projects and finishing what we have started.

The majority of the Coordination Framework supports a second term for Al-Sudani. Just yesterday, Al-Abadi announced his support for the second term, and there are political forces participating in the elections who also support it.

There are major understandings with Badr Organization now, previously, and in the future. The disagreement with them was tactical, not fundamental, concerning the alliance on a single list, because their known and participating figures are many and cannot all be included in our list.