There are reports of anarchy from the Parliament of Shia Muslim-dominated Iraq, including incidents of beating MPs and throwing shoes at each other. This incident is being reported on Tuesday in which Shia and Sunni MPs clashed in the hall of Iraqi Parliament. Controversy started between MPs over voting for federal service and state council candidates, which soon turned into a scuffle.
According to local newspapers in Iraq, Sunni MP Rad al-Dahlaki was attacked during this period, causing him a physical injury. The MP has an eye injury. A video of the incident has surfaced in which MPs are seen fighting with each other.
Speaking to Iraqi news agency Al-SA’A, a source said, “The Speaker of Parliament, Mahmood al-Mahadani left the House due to lack of presence of MPs, after which the parliamentary session drowned in chaos. Despite this, the session was organized under the leadership of the first Deputy Chairman Mohsin al-Mandlavi.
The source further said, “The dispute occurred when the MPs of the Takddum coalition who boycotted the session along with the Shia groups voted for the federal service and the candidates of the State Council, which spread outrage.”
Iraqi MP clashed in Parliament about what?
The posts of federal service and state council were to be divided between Sunni and Shia groups, but MPs from Takddum and Shia groups voted for the Shia candidates for both posts, bypassing political consent.
With this, the tension in Cafeteria of Parliament reached the peak outside the Parliament House. Speaker Mahmood al-Mahadani started protesting loudly and said that voting is injustice to the Sunni community. On this, Shia MP Ala al-Hydari abused a ‘disgusting communal’, after which his scuffle started with Sunni MP Rad al-Dahlaki.
The situation became uncontrollable when about 50 MPs allegedly attacked Al-Dahlaki and beat him mercilessly. The source revealed that the MPs of Takddum alliance and other Sunni parties could not stop the attack. Only one Sunni MP Mahmud al-Kasi came out and he bravely tried to save Al-Dhalaki from the crowd.
There have been similar disputes in the Parliament of Iraq before. In May 2024, there was a violent clash between several MPs over the dispute related to the election of the Speaker of Parliament. At that time this post was vacant for six months.
Iraq is Shia-dominated Muslim countries which are 55-65% of the country’s population. Sunni Muslims also have a good population in Iraq and they are about 35-40% of the total population.
—- End —-
