Iraq's PM-designate Mohammed Allawi withdraws candidacy for post

Iraq's Prime Minister-designate Mohammed Allawi on Sunday announced that he is withdrawing his candidacy for the post. In a Twitter post, Allawi accused that political parties are paying money to members of the Parliament in order to prevent him from becoming the new prime minister of the country. He alleged that different political factions are obstructing his candidacy in order to stop reform from happening. 

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Allawi on February 25 tweeted, "I heard that there is a plan to thwart the government’s passage due to the inability to continue the thefts because the ministries will be managed by independent and impartial ministers."

According to reports, the Iraqi parliament on Sunday was adjourned due to a lack of a minimum number of members required to conduct the confidence vote. Lawmakers had already on Thursday failed to agree on the new government. The reports further suggests that Allawi had secured the support from Shia blocs but had failed to do so from Sunni and Kurdish blocs, who had reservations in the forming of the new government.

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Iraqi President Barham Salih had asked Allawi to form the new government after a mass protest movement that broke out in October and brought down former Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi. Media reports suggest that protesters oppose Allawi's candidature as they feel he is part of the same system that they want to bring down. As per reports, President Barham Salih will begin consultations to choose a new candidate for a prime minister's post within 15 days.

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Coronavirus fear in Iraq

The recent political development in Iraq comes amid the ongoing battle against Coronavirus in the country. As per reports, 19 people in Iraq have contracted the new coronavirus since it first broke out in December last year. Iraq is also facing threat from its neighbour Iran, where around 978 people have been affected by the virus so far. 

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Lead Image Credit: AP