Abadi to Participate in Iraqi Parliamentary Elections with Iran-Supported Shia Coalition

Haider al-Abadi, the Prime Minister of Iraq, announced on Sunday, January 14, that he will run as the lead candidate of a cross-party coalition in the parliamentary elections scheduled for May 21 next year, having secured the support of a powerful Shia group backed by Iran to form this coalition. The Iraqi Prime Minister, who is himself Shia and has led the country in the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS) for the past three years, stated that the 'Fateh Alliance' he has gathered for the parliamentary competition will also include candidates from other ethnicities. Al-Abadi took over the premiership from Nouri al-Maliki, a close ally of Iran, in 2014, who faced severe criticism from politicians due to the collapse of the Iraqi army amid the seizure of one-third of Iraq's territory by ISIS. Nouri al-Maliki, who heads the 'Dawa Party', also announced on Sunday that he will participate in this election. He, who is the Vice President of Iraq, leads one of the powerful blocs in the current parliament. Although Haider al-Abadi is also a member of the Dawa Party, he has not secured the party's support for his candidacy. Mr. Maliki stated on Saturday that supporters of the party are free to vote for his coalition under the title 'State of Law' or 'Fateh Alliance' of Abadi. Nevertheless, the Iraqi Prime Minister was able to gain the support of a powerful coalition of Iran-backed Shia groups that participated in the fight against ISIS, led by the Badr Organization. Legislators close to Abadi and Hadi al-Amiri, the leader of the Badr Organization, told Reuters that their representatives signed an electoral agreement on Sunday. The Iraqi Prime Minister has gained credibility through the immediate formation of the army and the defeat of ISIS in its most important stronghold, Mosul, in late July. A coalition led by the United States also strongly supported the Iraqi operations in Mosul. Mr. Abadi's connection with Hadi al-Amiri has deepened his base among the Shia majority of Iraqi society. According to the power-sharing system established in Iraq since 2003 after the fall of Saddam Hussein by American forces, the Iraqi premiership is held by Shia Arabs, the presidency, which is a ceremonial position, is held by Kurds, and the parliament's presidency is held by Sunni Arabs. It is expected that the Iraqi parliament will convene in the coming days and approve May 21 as the date for the elections.