On Saturday, Baqir Jabir Al-Zubaidi, the head of the "Injaz" movement, proposed postponing the local elections scheduled for the end of 2023 to another date and merging them with the upcoming legislative elections due to the boycott by the Sadrist movement led by Muqtada Al-Sadr.
In a statement today, Al-Zubaidi said, "With the news circulating about proposals made by some parties to delay the provincial council elections and with the absence of the Sadrist movement from the current political scene, the best solution proposed by the Injaz movement is to merge the provincial council elections with the parliamentary elections."
He added, "This proposal stems from our desire for everyone's participation, even if it means an increase in the number of competitors, because we believe that the democratic process must be based on genuine partnership."
Al-Zubaidi further mentioned, "Unfortunately, we have witnessed an exclusionary approach in various cycles that has been practiced against many personalities and parties, and we have experienced this in the Injaz movement. Those who wish to hold elections despite the developments in the Iraqi street must understand that elections are a means, not an end."
The head of the Injaz movement stated that "merging the elections would reduce the cost of the electoral procedures significantly and place many forces in front of a new reality and bring a parliament that we hope will genuinely reflect the will of the people."
He viewed that "the previous parliamentary elections were marred by many accusations, and Injaz was one of the victims of the manipulation suspicions that occurred. Nevertheless, we announced our full support for their results for the sake of the common good."
Al-Zubaidi confirmed that "the withdrawal of the Sadrist deputies disrupted the work of the parliament for a period and made citizens feel that those who reached the parliamentary seat through compensation do not represent the real winners who earned their votes."
He called on "all political forces to thoroughly study this proposal for the benefit of the political process and the Iraqi street."
On Monday, November 13, Muqtada Al-Sadr, the leader of the Sadrist movement, called on his supporters to boycott the provincial council elections scheduled for the end of this year, considering that it would reduce their legitimacy both externally and internally.
In response to a question from his supporters regarding participation in the elections, Al-Sadr stated, "Your participation with the corrupt saddens me greatly... Your boycott of the elections delights me and angers the enemies... It reduces the legitimacy of the elections internationally and domestically and diminishes the dominance of the corrupt and subservient on our beloved Iraq, may God protect it from all harm and every corrupt and oppressor."
