Iraq: Prime Minister Allawi steps down amid lack of parliament support March 1 /update 121

Event

On Sunday, March 1, Prime Minister Designate Mohammed Allawi announced he would step down from his post following a lack of support for his cabinet selection among parliament members (MPs). Allawi faced a Monday, March 2, deadline to appoint cabinet members. The vote was initially scheduled for Friday, February 28, but this was postponed twice, attributed to a lack of quorum. Sunni and Kurdish members of parliament reportedly refused to attend due to political disputes among the representatives contributing to failure to meet quorum. The Iraq President, Barham Salih now has 15 days to nominate a new candidate for the prime ministerial role.

Protests were reported in Baghdad on March 1, and March 2, with participants moving from the established sit-in site at Tahrir Square to the Prime Minister's Office, as they expected a vote and announcement on the cabinet selection. On March 1, one person was killed, and 83 others were wounded in clashes between riot police and protesters at Khulani Square in  the Rusafa district. Protests were also reported in Basra, Wasit, and Dhi Qar on March 2.

Additional related protests and clashes are likely to continue as Iraq faces more political instability in the coming weeks. A heightened security presence and disruptions to transportation and business are to be expected around demonstration sites.

Context

Demonstrations broke out in Iraq on October 1, 2019, to protest alleged government corruption, inadequate provision of public services, and a lack of job opportunities. Following weeks of relatively calm demonstrations, violence resumed on October 24-25, coinciding with the deadline issued by Grand Ayatollah Sistani to the government issuing them to produce a report on the members of the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) that were responsible for firing at civilians during previous demonstrations. An estimated 670 people have been killed and some 24,488 people have been wounded since the protests began.

Advice

Individuals in Iraq are advised to closely monitor the situation, avoid all protests and large public gatherings due to potential violence, prepare for disruptions to transportation and business in areas affected by anti-government demonstrations, and adhere to all instructions issued by the local authorities and their home governments.

The security environment in Iraq remains complex. Although travel is possible in some areas with proper security protocols in place, other areas should be considered strictly off-limits. Professional security advice and support should be sought prior to all travel.