A spiral of crises threatens the Iraqi political system... “The trend of surprises” may topple the p

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[size=52]A spiral of crises threatens the Iraqi political system... “The trend of surprises” may topple the post-2003 system[/size]

[size=45]Baghdad/ Hussein Hatem[/size]
[size=45]One scandal after another is sweeping the political system in Iraq. It may have started with the theft of tax deposits, but its repercussions did not end. Hot files followed, passing through the scandal of blackmail networks by senior security leaders and reaching the spy networks in the Prime Minister’s Office. As for the latest position, which politicians expected the collapse of the political system, is what was announced by the head of the Integrity Commission, Haider Hanoun, during a press conference in Erbil, in which he revealed the collusion of political figures and cases towards “corruption files.” All of this happened during the government of Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, which is more than two years old.[/size]
[size=45]Recent pressures, including the attack on the 2023 medical graduates’ demonstrations, indicate the launch of major demonstrations similar to those that took place in October 2019, coinciding with the approach of its anniversary, and politicians confirmed that international movements are preparing for what they called “a second November.”[/size]
[size=45]Encroachment on the judiciary is more dangerous than terrorism![/size]
[size=45]The head of the State of Law Coalition, Nouri al-Maliki, gave a speech this Thursday afternoon in which he expressed his displeasure with what is happening in the political arena in Iraq.[/size]
[size=45]Al-Maliki's speech came less than 24 hours after the head of the Iraqi Integrity Commission, Judge Haider Hanoun, demanded that a public parliamentary session be held regarding the issue of the theft of tax deposits, known as the "theft of the century."[/size]
[size=45]The former Iraqi Prime Minister warned that encroachment on the judiciary would have more serious repercussions on the political system than terrorism.[/size]
[size=45]Al-Maliki said: “However, if there is an encroachment on the judiciary’s authority, or as happened in the media, an encroachment on the judiciary, the legislative authority, or the executive authority, then this is a dangerous beginning to repercussions that may be even more dangerous than the repercussions of the terrorist operations targeting the regime.”[/size]
[size=45]The head of the State of Law Coalition stressed that “whoever targets the state’s structure, which is the three authorities, has threatened the foundations of the tripartite system.”[/size]
[size=45]He continued: “If the relationship is threatened and worsens, as has unfortunately happened now and as is likely to happen in some areas that complain about the phenomenon of interference in the affairs of one authority in the affairs of another authority, then this is a bad start that we reject, denounce and condemn, and we call for respect for the judiciary and what it says in resolving cases.”[/size]
[size=45]International movements for a “second November”[/size]
[size=45]For his part, former Deputy Prime Minister Bahaa al-Araji revealed that there are international movements preparing for what he called a “second November.”[/size]
[size=45]Al-Araji said in a televised statement, “Juhi’s network did not eavesdrop on officials, but there are recordings, and the Prime Minister referred the matter to the judiciary.”[/size]
[size=45]He added, "He has documents proving that the international party that supported the October demonstrations is preparing for the first one by funding it."[/size]
[size=45]Al-Aaraji explained that “there is no wiretapping network, only recordings, and Muhammad Juhi came during Al-Kadhimi’s time,” indicating that “there is no justification for blaming Al-Sudani for what the accused did in this file.”[/size]
[size=45]He pointed out that "Al-Sudani referred the case of Mohammed Juhi to the judiciary when the framework asked him about the subject," stressing that "the major forgeries in the House of Representatives were ignored, and the focus was on Juhi's case."[/size]
[size=45]The number of "wiretapping networks" has increased.[/size]
[size=45]For his part, the Prime Minister’s advisor, Ibrahim Al-Sumaidaie, revealed that the number of detainees on the background of what was known as the “wiretapping network” had risen to 3 employees from the office of Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani.[/size]
[size=45]Al-Sumaidaie said in a televised program, “The third accused who was arrested due to the transgressions of employees in the Prime Minister’s Office is a photographer who has worked for 12 years in the Prime Minister’s Office and has charitable work in a cancer treatment association,” indicating that two of the three detainees “were arrested without the Prime Minister’s knowledge, while the last was arrested harshly.”[/size]
[size=45]Al-Sumaidaie reiterated his emphasis on “the absence of a wiretapping network,” and said that “this group of employees from the Prime Minister’s Office may have formed a pressure group and some violations may have occurred,” noting that they “do not have the technical ability, authorization, or judicial approval to wiretap any official.”[/size]
[size=45]Al-Sudani’s advisor denied that the Prime Minister’s Office had accounts on social media to support the government, adding: “We have closed comments on sites that support bridges and government achievements because we cannot compete with the electronic flies of other parties, and we are exposed to insults and curses.”[/size]
[size=45]Al-Sumaidaie spoke about “the government being under pressure due to several files, including the theft of the century case, then the accusations of the existence of a spy network, and finally the conference of the head of the Integrity Commission, Judge Haider Hanoun.”[/size]
[size=45]Al-Sumaidaie explained that “Al-Sudani has no connection to Hanoun’s conference, and he refuses to discuss any official work outside official channels,” noting that Judge Hanoun “made a mistake and was supposed to go to the Prime Minister, and the latter will discuss the matter with the judiciary, and if he fails, he will go to the Coordination Framework.”[/size]
[size=45]Beware the wrath of the people[/size]
[size=45]Commenting on the demonstrations taking place in Baghdad by various categories of graduates and employees, and the protests taking place in some governorates by various employees of the oil and government sectors, as well as the youth movement in the central and southern governorates, former judge and MP Wael Abdul Latif warns that “confronting the protests with violence could lead Iraq to major protests, especially since the youth protests coincide with the anniversary of the start of the October demonstrations.”[/size]
[size=45]He added, "The state is no longer able to absorb the number of graduates and put them into government jobs, and this requires the government to create an investment and economic environment that ensures that young people create diverse projects that will spare them the constant demand for appointments."[/size]
[size=45]He continued: “Parliament and political blocs must realize the importance of enacting the investment law and move towards legislating the paragraphs within the House of Representatives, in a way that guarantees the employment of young graduates and unemployed people who find themselves facing a rentier state in which the requirements of life cannot be met except through jobs.”[/size]
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