Baghdad – Al-Nabaa Forum for Dialogue hosted a virtual symposium titled "The Impact of Political Deadlock on Iraq’s Constitutional System", drawing participation from researchers, specialists, journalists, academics, and public affairs observers. The session provided a comprehensive overview of the ongoing political gridlock in Iraq and its ripple effects on constitutional deadlines for government formation. Professor Dr. Osama Al-Sayidi, Head of the Iraqi Society for Political Science, delivered the keynote presentation, while the session was moderated by Dr. Alaa Al-Silawi.
Addressing the panel, Dr. Osama Al-Sayidi stated that the ambiguity surrounding the political process, specifically concerning the formation of the government and the election of the President, has led to the current crisis and its negative outcomes. He questioned the state-building foundations that the political class was supposed to adopt post-2005 and the proposed remedies for the upcoming phase. He outlined three potential trajectories: forming a government, failing to form one, or heading toward early elections, while also warning of potential popular protests if the next government fails to meet public expectations.
He added that overcoming Iraq's state-building challenges requires solid foundations for building a cohesive state. This entails cementing a national identity and a political-economic philosophy that shapes the political system’s doctrine and reflects positively on military and security institutions, including national security and intelligence. It also requires addressing the chronic political, social, economic, and regional crises that have plagued the state.
Al-Sayidi further noted that navigating current challenges hinges on preserving and reforming the existing political system. This includes confronting political and administrative corruption, addressing security vulnerabilities and Iraq's continued exposure to armed groups, tackling public administration flaws, and ensuring food security and youth employment.
For his part, Forum Head Ali Al-Talaqani argued that the political deadlock comes from several factors, most notably regional involvement and pressures surrounding the formation of political alliances. He explained that this dynamic has dragged the country into a regional tug-of-war that has severely impacted the government formation process. However, Al-Talaqani observed that while regional involvement contributed to the gridlock, it might inadvertently spark a positive drive toward liberation from regional meddling, a shift encouraged by the recent electoral success of independent political groups.
Meanwhile, Forum Director Dr. Alaa Al-Silawi explained that the symposium examined the deadlock through the lens of its broader repercussions on Iraq's political and constitutional framework. The discussion explored the dimensions of the gridlock, its impacts, future scenarios, and how the withdrawal of certain MPs from the political process might affect the stability of the upcoming government.
A key takeaway from the session was that forming a stable government will be a formidable task if spearheaded by the Coordination Framework forces or traditional parties. Such a move is likely to face fierce opposition, not just in parliament but on the streets, further complicating the period ahead.
Al-Silawi concluded that escaping this deadlock requires choosing one of two paths: either holding early elections or embracing "political altruism" by entrusting state administration to a third party of independents. This approach would represent a departure from the conventional, narrow logic of electoral entitlement while remaining strictly within the constitutional framework of parliamentary action.