High court could dissolve parliament on Wednesday

Iraq’s political future could likely be decided on Wednesday when the country’s supreme court is scheduled to take up a motion to dissolve the session of Baghdad’s deadlocked parliament. Analyst Rafid Al-Tai told A24 that the court must dissolve parliament if new elections are the only path toward diffusing the crisis. The court was slated to make a ruling on the case last Thursday but its session was postponed after security officials imposed a curfew. Clashes between al-Sadr supporters and backers of the Iran-backed Coordination Framework led to the worst spate of violence seen on the streets of Baghdad in years. Other observers believe that the court should not bow to Sadarist pressure by disbanding the legislature. In an interview with A24 attorney Hussein Abboud said judges should back the legitimacy of the current parliament and force all factions to work with legistlaors elected in last OCtober’s vote.