American report: The power parties in Iraq have weakened the state and failed to protect sovereignty

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[size=52]American report: The power parties in Iraq have weakened the state and failed to protect sovereignty[/size]

[size=45]Translated by: Hamed Ahmed[/size]
[size=45]An American report accused the power parties in Iraq of weakening the state, and saw that reaching a political consensus had become elusive, stressing that the current political system had failed to protect sovereignty, and talked about efforts to restore provincial councils in order not to hold general elections. A report by the Washington Institute for Studies, translated by (Al-Mada), stated:[/size]
[size=45]That "the system of decentralized government power that followed in post-2003 Iraq could have been an antidote against authoritarian rule and corruption."[/size]
[size=45]The report added, “Decentralized governance, the call for federalism, and the election of provincial councils have become over time in favor of centralization, authoritarianism, and the dismantling of the state along sectarian lines, which paved the way for patronage networks and the spread of corruption in competition for power and benefits.”[/size]
[size=45]He pointed out, "The strength of the state, as is known, stems from the concept of decentralization, but what is happening in Iraq is the opposite of that."[/size]
[size=45]The report pointed out that “weakening the state is what the power parties in the country aim for,” and noted that “the focus on power and wealth in the weak state is what allowed the spread of corruption and theft that flourished in Iraq.”[/size]
[size=45]The report emphasized that “the search for a political consensus in Iraq has become something out of reach,” and stressed that “this was clearly embodied in the political deadlock that lasted a year after the October 2021 elections to form a government,” noting that “consecrating decentralization was one of its goals, which is to implement democracy in the country.[/size]
[size=45]The report went on to say that “decentralization, as is the case with democracy, came to further reinforce the aspect of the country’s geographical, sectarian, and ethnic differences.” And he stated, “The 2005 constitution enshrined decentralization in the form of federalism and elected provincial councils that enjoy broad executive authority in accordance with legislation that defines the relationship between regions and the federal government.”[/size]
[size=45]And the report added, “The directions in practice were in favor of re-centralizing power and governance within the federal government,” adding that “Parliament in 2019 ended the work of the provincial councils.”[/size]
[size=45]He believed that "geographical and administrative decentralization has rightly lost its political luster in favor of a strong state with central authority."[/size]
[size=45]However, the report reaffirmed that “ethnic sectarian feudalism has spread in the state instead in the form of policies based on nepotism through which the political blocs in parliament divide the state’s institutions and wealth among themselves, it is the sectarian system of government that followed in Iraq after 2003 ".[/size]
[size=45]And he talked about "the existence of a central government in which power and wealth are concentrated, but it is also divided among dozens of influential political entities, which are already weak and unstable."[/size]
[size=45]The report continues, "This system of governance has failed to protect Iraqi sovereignty, protect it from terrorism, and achieve prosperity." And he finds, “The inability of governance stems from the centralization and weakness of the Iraqi state, as all political parties work on their own narrow interests.” He noted that there is "nothing surprising that each party has an armed faction to protect and consolidate contracts." On the other hand, the report stated that "the network of nepotism is spreading rather than being reduced."[/size]
[size=45]And he continues, “Political families and influential men control political institutions,” explaining that “competing elites resort to dominating government institutions and subjugating them to their interests; Being unable to control the entire country or a geographical part of the country.[/size]
[size=45]The report emphasized that “calls to dissolve provincial councils forever is something that cannot be realized in the absence of a constitutional amendment.”[/size]
[size=45]And he added, “The new government may, in fact, push for provincial elections only to avoid holding national elections.” The report also stated, “Re-establishing provincial councils may be a difficult requirement; Because of the corruption that marred these councils and their incompetence in managing their tasks, which angered the people and led to their dissolution.” He pointed out that "breathing a sigh of relief again in returning to decentralization that enhances the aspect of accountability for managing governance and providing services may require serious investment and pursuit in achieving an efficient authority for local government."[/size]
[size=45]The report went on to say, "Iraq is ranked among the most corrupt countries in the world, as it ranked 157th globally in the Corruption Perceptions Index issued by Transparency International in 2021."[/size]
[size=45]For: The Washington Institute for Studies[/size]
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