Some parties bought off lawmakers for two million dollars, official says
Shafaq News / Member of the Sadrist movement, Issam Hussein, revealed today that some parties are buying off some lawmakers for two million dollars, to prevent them from joining the Homeland Rescue coalition.
Hussein told Shafaq News agency that this is the reason why some MPs claimed to be independent, but suddenly revealed their political affiliation.
A group of independent members of the Iraqi parliament will convene today, Sunday, to ponder the initiatives put forth by the rival Shiite poles, the Coordination Framework, and the Sadrist movement, and set a political compass that will decide their unified approach to the government polity.
"The majority of the MPs participating in the meeting tomorrow tend to lean toward the opposition. Others believe that running the scene and forming a government are basically the people's demands. However, the demands of the parties who launched the initiative might be an impediment," Independent lawmaker Adnan al-Jaberi told Shafaq News Agency.
"We seek a comprehensive reform at the level of the three leading positions in the country, including the parliament speaker. The candidates vying for the presidency currently shall be withdrawn. Otherwise, we will not endorse in any partial attempts for reform."
"The Independent lawmakers shall take the initiative and develop a roadmap to help the political forces resolve the current impasse," he continued, "the meeting to be held tomorrow will definitely come up with a list of recommendations."
"It is not easy to converge the visions of all the Independent MPs into a single one. Each has an opinion and approach that is different from the other. Some MPs have already made up their minds and attended the sessions called for electing a president, but they are only 25 in total: nine from each of Emtidad and al-Jeel al-Jadeed (The New Generation), two from Tasmim (Resolution), and four independent lawmakers."
"The remaining MPs, more than 17, are proponents of changing and rectifying the entire political course, not the cabinet lineup. They also believe that the powers of the next premier shall be restricted," he added, "this approach is pursued by Ishraqat Kanoun and Independent Iraq blocs, along with other independent lawmakers."
"Therefore, forming a bloc of 40 independent lawmakers, as stipulated by the initiative put forward by the leader of the Sadrist movement, Muqtada al-Sadr, is extremely hard."
On Wednesday, Independent MP Hasan al-Khafaji said that a group of 35 lawmakers will hold a meeting to decide their "political compass" and come up with a unified position from the initiatives launched by the Sadrist movement and the Coordination Framework.
"We, as independent lawmakers, opted to nominate an independent patriotic figure to run the country in accordance with the roadmap we adopt," he said, "the meeting will discuss the items of each of the initiatives, and we will seek consultants' opinions. The meeting outcomes will help us set our compass; whether we align with the Sadrist movement or the Coordination Framework."
On Tuesday, the leader of the Sadrist movement, Muqtada al-Sadr, called on the independent lawmakers to form a coalition that forms the government apart from the status quo forces.
On Monday, the Shiite Coordination Framework proposed a new view of the next government that encompasses a set of guarantees it believes it is imperative for proceeding with any agreement.
