Iraq’s new President Abdul Latif Rashid and Mohammed Shia Al Sudani — his nomination for prime minister, tasked with forming the next government — are unlikely to fulfil public expectations of reform, according to experts.
Parliament elected Mr Rashid, a veteran Kurdish politician and former minister, as president on Thursday, after a year of political deadlock.
Mr Rashid then nominated Mr Al Sudani as prime minister.
Politicians affiliated with Shiite cleric and politician Moqtada Al Sadr had emerged as the largest bloc in a general election last October but fell short of a majority.
Mr Al Sadr was unable to muster enough support for his choice of president in the face of challenges from the rival Co-ordination Framework bloc, made of up largely of groups backed by Iran.
Omar Al Nidawi, programme director at the Enabling Peace in Iraq Centre, a US-based non-government organisation, said the profiles of Mr Rashid and Mr Al Sudani — who was backed by the Co-ordination Framework — did not suggest they would shake up Iraq's long established political system.
“The Rashid-Sudani government is another product of Muhasasa and shady dealings among a deeply corrupt political elite,” Mr Al Nidawi told The National.
Muhasasa is the political system introduced in 2003, after dictator Saddam Hussein was toppled in a US-led invasion.
Under Muhasasa, political groups share out posts based on sect, ethnicity and religion, regardless of election outcomes.
“There’s nothing about their affiliations, records or characters that suggests they would be bold reformers who put the national interest before partisan interests and personal gain,” Mr Al Nidawi said.
Renad Mansour, director of the Iraq Initiative at London's Chatham House think tank, said Mr Rashid and Mr Al Sudani would owe allegiance to the political parties who put them in power, and were therefore bound to the ruling elite.
“I do think that they will continue to do what the two positions are meant to do, but I don’t think this is a reform movement in Iraq — we shouldn’t be expecting much change,” Mr Mansour told The National.
“They will not really fulfil the public's expectation,” he said, adding that it would be difficult for them to “live up to the job”.
To become an “excellent” prime minister, Mr Al Sudani “must manage all these parties and their interests within the government”, said Sajad Jiyad, an Iraq analyst with the Century Foundation think tank.
“He must push through much needed reforms without having significant political capital, but he doesn’t have a huge number of seats or a political party,” Mr Jiyad said.
Instead, Mr Al Sudani is “relying on all these bitter enemies deciding, 'OK, we will keep them in power,'” he said.
Mr Al Sudani's first task is to present a Cabinet line-up that will get Parliament's approval, for which he has 30 days.
Michael Knights of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy think tank said Mr Rashid and Mr Al Sudani were capable of fulfilling their formal duties.
“The question is whether they can exceed their predecessors in terms of resolving thorny political problems that require risk-taking,” Mr Knights said.
These problems include the threat from militias, the energy dispute between Baghdad and Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish region and climate change, he told The National.
Mr Knights pointed out that Mr Rashid was a hydraulic and civil engineer, who headed the Ministry of Water Resources between 2003-2010.
“So, he will hopefully take up the water issue with special enthusiasm,” Mr Knights said.
But the public's “expectations of any politician are very low, so they can meet that low bar”, he added.
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
The Bio
Hometown: Bogota, Colombia
Favourite place to relax in UAE: the desert around Al Mleiha in Sharjah or the eastern mangroves in Abu Dhabi
The one book everyone should read: 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It will make your mind fly
Favourite documentary: Chasing Coral by Jeff Orlowski. It's a good reality check about one of the most valued ecosystems for humanity
THE SPECS
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Transmission: six-speed manual
Power: 325bhp
Torque: 370Nm
Speed: 0-100km/h 3.9 seconds
Price: Dh230,000
On sale: now
Company%20Profile
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More from Neighbourhood Watch:
The%20specs
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Specs – Taycan 4S
Engine: Electric
Transmission: 2-speed auto
Power: 571bhp
Torque: 650Nm
Price: Dh431,800
Specs – Panamera
Engine: 3-litre V6 with 100kW electric motor
Transmission: 2-speed auto
Power: 455bhp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: from Dh431,800
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Book%20Details
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Series result
1st ODI Zimbabwe won by 6 wickets
2nd ODI Sri Lanka won by 7 wickets
3rd ODI Sri Lanka won by 8 wickets
4th ODI Zimbabwe won by 4 wickets
5th ODI Zimbabwe won by 3 wickets
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The bio
Studied up to grade 12 in Vatanappally, a village in India’s southern Thrissur district
Was a middle distance state athletics champion in school
Enjoys driving to Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah with family
His dream is to continue working as a social worker and help people
Has seven diaries in which he has jotted down notes about his work and money he earned
Keeps the diaries in his car to remember his journey in the Emirates
Countries offering golden visas
UK
Innovator Founder Visa is aimed at those who can demonstrate relevant experience in business and sufficient investment funds to set up and scale up a new business in the UK. It offers permanent residence after three years.
Germany
Investing or establishing a business in Germany offers you a residence permit, which eventually leads to citizenship. The investment must meet an economic need and you have to have lived in Germany for five years to become a citizen.
Italy
The scheme is designed for foreign investors committed to making a significant contribution to the economy. Requires a minimum investment of €250,000 which can rise to €2 million.
Switzerland
Residence Programme offers residence to applicants and their families through economic contributions. The applicant must agree to pay an annual lump sum in tax.
Canada
Start-Up Visa Programme allows foreign entrepreneurs the opportunity to create a business in Canada and apply for permanent residence.
TUESDAY'S ORDER OF PLAY
Centre Court
Starting at 2pm:
Elina Svitolina (UKR) [3] v Jennifer Brady (USA)
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) v Belinda Bencic (SUI [4]
Not before 7pm:
Sofia Kenin (USA) [5] v Elena Rybakina (KAZ)
Maria Sakkari (GRE) v Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) [7]
Court One
Starting at midday:
Karolina Muchova (CZE) v Katerina Siniakova (CZE)
Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) v Aliaksandra Sasnovich (BLR)
Veronika Kudermetova (RUS) v Dayana Yastermska (UKR)
Petra Martic (CRO) [8] v Su-Wei Hsieh (TPE)
Sorana Cirstea (ROU) v Anett Kontaveit (EST)
Business Insights
- Canada and Mexico are significant energy suppliers to the US, providing the majority of oil and natural gas imports
- The introduction of tariffs could hinder the US's clean energy initiatives by raising input costs for materials like nickel
- US domestic suppliers might benefit from higher prices, but overall oil consumption is expected to decrease due to elevated costs
Tightening the screw on rogue recruiters
The UAE overhauled the procedure to recruit housemaids and domestic workers with a law in 2017 to protect low-income labour from being exploited.
Only recruitment companies authorised by the government are permitted as part of Tadbeer, a network of labour ministry-regulated centres.
A contract must be drawn up for domestic workers, the wages and job offer clearly stating the nature of work.
The contract stating the wages, work entailed and accommodation must be sent to the employee in their home country before they depart for the UAE.
The contract will be signed by the employer and employee when the domestic worker arrives in the UAE.
Only recruitment agencies registered with the ministry can undertake recruitment and employment applications for domestic workers.
Penalties for illegal recruitment in the UAE include fines of up to Dh100,000 and imprisonment
But agents not authorised by the government sidestep the law by illegally getting women into the country on visit visas.
'Panga'
Directed by Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari
Starring Kangana Ranaut, Richa Chadha, Jassie Gill, Yagya Bhasin, Neena Gupta
Rating: 3.5/5
Roll%20of%20Honour%2C%20men%E2%80%99s%20domestic%20rugby%20season
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Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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China
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3.
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UAE
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Japan
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5
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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The Rub of Time: Bellow, Nabokov, Hitchens, Travolta, Trump and Other Pieces 1986-2016
Martin Amis,
Jonathan Cape
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
