At a time Iraq’s three top Shiite blocs Sairoon, Nasr and Fatah successfully formed a coalition claiming to be nationally open to other Iraqi components, Sunni and Kurdish parties are still discussing options on involvement in the next government’s decision-making process.
Despite deep differences driving a wedge between main parties in the past four years, Kurds began considering chances of forming a unified Kurdish position on Baghdad.
The Iraqi capital and government has continuously failed Kurdish people over the years in several crucial issues such as the referendum and budget allocation to run the Kurdistan autonomous region.
Sunnis, after demanding several times to postpone parliamentary elections held against their will on May 12, have now become the victims of accusations of fraud exploitation of large-scale displacements at home and abroad.
Sunni leaders from various blocs said Iraq’s Sunni movement aims at forming a unified Sunni bloc whose goal is not to merely “participate in the upcoming government,” but to participate in Baghdad’s political decision-making, Baghdad Alliance’s winning lawmaker Mohammed Karbouli told Asharq Al-Awsat.
Karbouli, who won over Anbar province Sunni seat, said that a Sunni movement has existed for some time even before election results were announced.
“Our vision stems from the fact that Sunnis suffered most from atrocities carried out by ISIS in Sunni-majority provinces and therefore must stand unified to prevent tragedies that cost us greatly from reoccurring,” he said.
As for when a Sunni parties’ alliance will be announced, Karbouli said that “it is imminent and can be announced at any moment.”
He pointed out that “the new Sunni alliance includes more than 45 deputies from all the Sunni blocs, including the current parliament speaker Salim al-Jubouri and head of the National Movement for Development and Reform party Jamal Al-Karboli.”
For his part, former Nineveh governor Atheel al-Nujaifi said the chief theme of discussions on programs set on countering corruption is still a stumbling block for dialogue between winning blocs.
“We are keen not to have any Sunni gathering in a sectarian sense, because we are confident that the strength of our society, even in Sunni areas, depends on rebuilding state,” said Nujaifi.
“It is regrettable that this understanding is not clear to everyone,” he added.
