Ambiguous changes within the Election Commission and the framework factions object

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[size=52]Ambiguous changes within the Election Commission and the framework factions object[/size]

[size=45]Baghdad/ Tamim Al-Hassan[/size]
[size=45]It seems that the adults within the coordination framework have become more comfortable now after a campaign of exemptions and changes took place within the Election Commission a few months before the next winter vote.[/size]
[size=45]But these changes did not prevent parties in the Shiite coalition and factions from announcing their doubts and describing what is happening as a “massacre” and “destruction of democracy.”[/size]
[size=45]On the other hand, the civil movements said that they will submit questions to the United Nations about the reason for these measures as the local elections approach.[/size]
[size=45]A few days ago, the Independent Commission conducted a campaign of dismissals and replacements in more than 10 important positions, months after the resignation of its former president, Jalil Khalaf.[/size]
[size=45]According to a government statement last June, local elections are supposed to be held on December 18.[/size]
[size=45]Two Shiite sources spoke in an interview with Al-Mada about the motives for those changes that took place without the objection of the main forces in the coordination framework.[/size]
[size=45]One of the sources close to the “Frame” said, “These changes took place as part of a previous agreement in exchange for not postponing the provincial council elections.”[/size]
[size=45]The source confirmed: “The agreement included a change in important positions, which may continue to other positions in the governorates, such as office directors, to ensure that the elections are not rigged.”[/size]
[size=45]According to the source, some of the parties he described as “adults” in the Shiite alliance were refusing to hold the elections in the presence of the current commission due to accusations of rigging the previous vote.[/size]
[size=45]So far, no party in the “Framework” has spoken about the worrying legal situation of the Election Commission, which may not allow it to organize the vote.[/size]
[size=45]According to statements made by officials in the Commission to (Al-Mada) earlier, it is likely that the latter will not be able to “complete all stages of the elections unless Parliament intervenes to correct its legal status.”[/size]
[size=45]The term of the current commission, composed of judges, ends next January 7, that is, a few days after polling day.[/size]
[size=45]A member of the Legal Committee in Parliament, Arif Al-Hamami, told Al-Mada: “There must be a political agreement on the extension or renewal of the current commission.”[/size]
[size=45]Haider Al-Mulla, leader of the Azm Alliance, previously revealed to Al-Mada that some forces refused to extend the term to the Commission due to “previous positions” against the latter.[/size]
[size=45]He said at the time: “The commission must work with full powers to complete all stages of voting from the day of voting, then appeals, until the announcement of the results, otherwise the elections must be postponed.”[/size]
[size=45]According to statements by Prime Minister Muhammad al-Sudani 4 months ago, the “Framework” was preparing to submit a draft law to replace the current commission, but the Shiite coalition apparently backed away from that step after the resignation of the head of the commission, Judge Jalil Khalaf, last April, who had managed the 2021 elections.[/size]
[size=45]In an interview with (Al-Mada), Amer Al-Fayez, one of the leaders of the coordination framework, considered that Khalaf’s resignation is the first step towards achieving integrity and avoiding fraud in the elections.[/size]
[size=45]Amer Abdul Jabbar, an independent member of Parliament, hinted earlier that the dismissal of the Commission President came after pressure from the “Framework.”[/size]
[size=45]According to sources from within it, the Shiite coalition intended to restore the previous formula of the commission, which included representatives of the parties before Judge Khalaf resigned.[/size]
[size=45]A document leaked to the media a few days ago showed a change in 11 important positions in the Commission in the legal, financial, operations department and other locations.[/size]
[size=45]Shibl al-Zaidi, the leader of the Imam Ali Brigades faction - one of the PMF formations - objected to these changes, and considered that what was happening was part of “quota pressure.”[/size]
[size=45]Al-Zaidi said in a blog post on social media: “It is suspicious that there are major and fundamental changes occurring in positions within the High Elections Commission.”[/size]
[size=45]Al-Zaidi, whose faction is participating through several political movements in the upcoming local elections, added: “It is clear that the Commission has fallen under the pressure of quotas and that there are parties working on hegemony and acquisition.”[/size]
[size=45]Al-Zaidi considered that these measures would make the Commission lose its “neutrality and independence,” calling on the judiciary and the House of Representatives to intervene to uncover who is behind these changes.[/size]
[size=45]The Phalange leader described what was happening inside the commission as a “massacre.” He said that these actions “destroy democracy” and “confidence in elections.”[/size]
[size=45]In addition, the other Shiite source reveals that these measures were implemented “for the benefit of concerned political parties, most of whom are from the main forces, and therefore some wings within the framework object.”[/size]
[size=45]The source stated that former officials in the Commission “now control the Commission completely through arms and employees inside.”[/size]
[size=45]The coordination framework had considered the recent legislative elections “rigged” before the Federal Court approved the validity of the poll results at the end of 2021.[/size]
[size=45]In December 2019, against the backdrop of the October protests, Parliament had previously enacted a new law for the Commission that included the appointment of 9 judges chosen by the Judicial Council.[/size]
[size=45]The previous law required that the Council of Commissioners be composed of 9 members, at least two of whom are legal members, chosen by the House of Representatives by majority after being nominated by Parliament.[/size]
[size=45]At the beginning of this year, the President of the Federal Supreme Court, Jassem Muhammad Abboud, confirmed that the Election Commission is subject to Parliament’s oversight.[/size]
[size=45]In addition, Mashreq Al-Fariji, head of the Nazil Take Haqqi movement, considered the recent changes in the commission “worrying, especially at this time.”[/size]
[size=45]Al-Fariji, whose movement is preparing to enter the local elections, said in an interview with Al-Mada: “We believe that these interventions are coming from the authorities and for a purpose that is not yet clear to us.”[/size]
[size=45]Al-Fariji adds: “We trust the current commission because it managed the 2021 elections better than the previous elections, but despite that, we are determined to submit questions to the United Nations as an election observer about these changes, and to the commission as well.”[/size]
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