Iraqi President Salih submits resignation to Parliament

People remain on the streets, protesting against the corrupt ruling class of Iraq.

Iraq is witnessing the heaviest social crisis in its late history. The resignation of Prime Minister Adil Abdul Mahdi on November 29 under heavy popular pressure is followed by that of President Barham Salih.

Salih, who has submitted his resignation to the Parliament had said the following before he resigned; “I would prefer to resign rather than approve a candidate that is not accepted by protesters.”

According to an adviser of Barham Salih, Hawjin Omer, who spoke to RojNews, the Parliament answered Salih’s first letter and clarified that the Bina Coalition was the largest composition in the parliament.

Omer said: “The Bina Coalition nominated Eshed Idani Prime Minister but protesters striclty opposed this candidate, so the President didn’t want to appoint Idani for the new government cabinet.”

Omer said Idani’s nomination was legal but was still rejected by Salih who doesn’t find it moral. He added; “The President has submitted his resignation letter due to the heavy pressure of political parties.”

Pro-Iranian structures have been imposing a hasty determination of a prime minister rather than answering the demands of demonstrators.

In the meantime, people who want the corrupt regime to change, continue to take to the streets. In the Basra city, masses blocked the roads and burned tires.

Since popular protests began to shake the Iraqi state in early October, around 500 people have lost their lives and 25,000 others were injured. So far, only one of the demands of the protesters has been met by the government. A parliamentary voting on Tuesday resulted in the approval of the new elections law which enables people to determine their representatives based on individual candidateship but not party lists.

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