Four parties agree on forming a government in Iraq

Four parties in Iraq made a joint statement announcing their agreement on forming a government and taking steps for a broad-based coalition.

Following the elections held on May 12, eyes are now on the probable government to be formed in Iraq.

Before the announcement of the results of the elections, a broad-based coalition agreement had been made between Muqtada al-Sadr’s Sayirun alliance, Haidar al-Abadi’s Nasr list, Shia leader Ammar al-Hakim’s Hikma (National Wisdom Movement) list and Ayad Allawi’s Wataniya list.

After the High Elections Board of Iraq announced the election results, Kazım Shammari on behalf of former Prime Minister Iyad Allavi, Muqtada al-Sadr, Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi, Shia leader Ammar Hakim and Sunni leader Salih Mutlak met in the Babylon Hotel in capital city Baghdad.

The joint statement issued after the meeting by the four leaders’ groups in the parliament, Sariun, Nasr, Hikma and Wataniya coalition, said the following; “In a national decision based on the interest of our country, and responding to the demands of the people, we agreed to form the core of an alliance to form the government.”

The parties said they are open to other political parties and partners joining them, adding; “This coalition is cross sectarian and refuses partisanship in all of its forms”.

Reports suggest that the parties that have agreed on a coalition will visit Hewler to include the Kurds in the efforts to form a government.

In the meantime, Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) will visit the parties that have rejected the election results to convince them after the Feast of Sacrifice.