Fa'iq Zaydan, the head of Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council
The head of Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council says the judiciary is under intense pressure and meddling by factions amid a political deadlock in the country.
Fa'iq Zaydan, who is also the head of the Federal Supreme Court of Iraq said on Sunday that the judiciary is an independent body and does not allow such interventions.
While six months have passed since the parliamentary elections Iraqi factions have failed to form a new government. Zaydan ruled out the formation of an emergency government due to complex constitutional procedures, warning of negative repercussions of such an option.
He added that the judiciary has the power to dissolve the parliament according to the constitution, but it would lead to a worse situation than the current one, suggesting that a political consensus is the best way to solve the crisis.
The movement of Moqtada Sadr – who is opposes Iran’s influence in Iraq -- won the biggest winner in the October 2021 parliamentary elections gaining 73 out of 329 seats, but pro-Iran groups claim they can muster the backing of 88 lawmakers to make a bigger coalition.
The parliament's first tasks is electing the country's president, who will then name a prime minister tasked with forming a new government.
Tehran has been accused of directly interfering in Iraq’s internal affairs, including in elections, since Saddam Hussain’s regime was toppled in the 2003 US invasion. Iran’s interference in Iraqi politics led to large protests in 2019 that lasted for months.