In Iraq, hundreds of disruptors who are supposedly supporters of Shia leader Muqtada al-Sadr stomped on the parliament in Bagdad to dissent from the nomination for prime minister by the rival parties backed by Iran.
Mohammed Shia al Sudani’s bid for prime minister was being opposed by demonstrators who felt he was too close to Iran. Al-Sudani, a former minister and provincial governor, is proposed by the Coordination Framework for the position of prime minister.
A video cited the protestors dancing and singing in the premises of the parliament, and the Iraqi Parliament’s speaker’s desk was reportedly occupied by one of the protesters.
Al Jazeera reported that no lawmakers were inside the premises of the parliament when the protestors barged in and only the security forces were seen.
Al Jazeera also stated that after a few hours of protest, al-Sadr made a post on Twitter informing the demonstrators that their message had been received and urging them to “return safely” to their homes, signalling the end of the sit-in.
The demonstrators were also urged by Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi to “immediately leave” the heavily guarded Green Zone, which houses foreign missions and government buildings.He issued a statement warning that the defence of state institutions and foreign missions, as well as preventing any harm to security and order, would be the responsibility of security personnel.
The police earlier tried dispersing the protestors with water cannons, but they managed to trespass the gates, as reported by Al-Jazeera.
The protestors were sloganeering “Al-Sudani out” outside the entrances of the green zone.
This event, and al-Sadr’s subsequent demonstration of authority over his supporters, served as an implicit warning to the Framework Party that things could get worse if al-Sudani becomes the leader of the new government.
Nouri al-Maliki, former prime minister and leader of the State of Law and former chose Al-Sudani. Parties must first choose a president before al-Sudani can go before parliament to be officially sworn in as prime minister-designate.