On Saturday, Iraqi President Barham Salih called on the political forces in the country to preserve the state’s sovereignty and to give priority to the language of reason and logic to overcome what he described as the “dangerous stage.”
This came in a speech delivered by Saleh at the fourth annual conference of civil society organizations of the coalition of “Iraqis” in parliament (41 out of 329 seats) led by Ammar al-Hakim in the capital, Baghdad.
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In the beginning of his speech, the Iraqi President said, “We are passing through a sensitive and dangerous phase, and we have great benefits, most notably the holding of the elections on the scheduled date (October 10).”
He pointed out that “the elections are a national entitlement that cannot be procrastinated, a popular demand and a political necessity to move to the stage of drafting a new political contract.”
And from it, Iraqis will be able to choose a government that meets their aspirations to provide a free and dignified life. “
Saleh added, “The political hemorrhage should stop today, and the conditions we are going through that affect the security of the state.”
Or threatening the legitimacy of the political system, requiring us to refer to the people and return to the people through fair and transparent elections. “
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He stressed “facing political money and combating corruption that threatens Iraq, and this requires serious legal measures.”
We recently sent a draft law on the proceeds of corruption at home and abroad, and we are looking forward to its approval by the House of Representatives. “
On 23 May, Saleh announced that he had submitted a bill to “recover the proceeds of corruption” to Parliament, to recover the money and hold the corruptors accountable and bring them to justice.
The president called on the political forces to “unify the ranks and arbitrate the language of reason and logic.”
And to put the country’s supreme interests before any other considerations and to emphasize the law and legal procedures at this dangerous stage. “
For his part, the leader of the “Iraqi” coalition, Ammar al-Hakim, urged the people to participate in the upcoming early parliamentary elections.
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In his speech at the conference, Al-Hakim said, “Boycotting the elections is not a waiver of a basic right, but rather a retreat from a national duty that throws the country into grave dangers.”
He added, “The solution lies in broad participation in the elections, provided that they are conscious, broad, effective and democratic.”
Al-Hakim considered that “the upcoming elections are the most important for two decades. The social and political changes and crises are all pushing us to the necessity of changing the traditional equations and patterns through the election boxes.”
Early parliamentary elections are scheduled to take place on the tenth of next October, amid a tense political and security environment.
The country has lived in it since 2019, when popular protests toppled the government of former Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi.
