New pro Iran prime ministerial nominee unfit say demonstrators

For the second time this week, supporters of populist Shiite cleric Moqtada Al Sadr stormed Iraq’s parliament to protest the nomination of Mohammed Shia Al Sudani as the country’s next prime minister. Al Sadr’s activists entered the Green Zone Saturday afternoon, raising Iraqi flags as they climbed over concrete barriers to reach into the Green Zone, the capital’s center of government institutions and foreign embassies. After elections last October, Al-Sadr’s bloc came out as the biggest parliamentary group but still fell far short of a majority. “We demand services; we demand social care and health insurance; most of the protesters here have chronic diseases. The ruling class has caused enough damage to us and our country,” demonstrator Ahmed Majed told A24 as he headed towards the bridge that leads to the Green Zone. Other protesters told A24 that they reject Al Sudani, a veteran politician because he is aligned with former prime minister Nouri Al Maliki who they blame for the lack of basic infrastructure, services, and security. Al Maliki and the parties backing Al Sudani are closely aligned with Iran, whose sway in Iraq Al Sadr has been opposing.