UN envoy to Iraq urges Iraqi politicians to break deadlock
United Nations envoy to Iraq Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert. AP image.
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – The United Nations envoy to Iraq, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, on Tuesday, in a press statement following a UN Security Council session on Iraq, urged Iraqi politicians to end the political stalemate the country has been going through for more than seven months.
Hennis-Plasschaert explained that she always tries to see the positive side of things, but it is time to make a change, and for Iraqi politicians to rise to a higher level.
In her press statement, Hennis-Plasschaert warned against risks of tension in Iraqi streets.
“We cannot go back to the situation Iraq witnessed in October 2018,” Hennis-Plasschaert stated, in reference to the protests took place in the country.
In the session the UN Security Council held, Hennis-Plasschaert repeatedly stressed on the importance of resolving the political deadlock ongoing in Iraq since the end of 2021, explaining that it raises popular resentment.
Hennis-Plasschaert also pointed out to the worsening situations in the country as a result of the ongoing spillovers of the pandemic and the global geopolitical tensions.
“There must be an urgent honest intention to solve political disagreements so the country could move forward and respond to the needs of people,” Hennis-Plasschaert added in her statement.
After more than seven months of the legislative elections, Iraqi institutions are still experiencing paralysis as they are not able to elect a president.
In Iraq, the President is the one who assigns the Prime Minister to form a government.
Until the political stalemate ends, the outgoing President, Barham Salih, who is running for another term, and Prime Minister, Mustafa al-Kadhimi, continue to do their job.