Brussels, 02/05/2016 (Agence Europe) - On Saturday 30 April, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini called on the parliamentarians and people of Iraq to support and not disrupt the efforts of their Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and other political leaders to find a solution to the political stalemate in the country.
“It's crucial that all Iraqis and all the regional and international actors contribute to build a cooperative environment and a democratic, inclusive political process to stabilise the country”, Mogherini stated in a press release, adding that the EU supported al-Abadi's efforts.
The press release was published after the invasion of Baghdad's secure green zone and the occupation of its parliament and attack on certain parliamentarians on Saturday 30 April. Mogherini said the attack and violent protests risked further destabilising an already tense situation. In her view, this “appears as deliberate disruption of the democratic process”.
The protesters were criticising the parliament's lack of action and demanding a new government capable of enforcing anti-corruption reforms. Al-Abadi was due to present the composition of his new cabinet to the parliament for the third time, but the boycott of the parliamentary session by the Sadrist parliamentarians meant the session was postponed until Tuesday 3 May. The protesters withdrew from the green zone on Sunday 1 May. Elsewhere, a double suicide attack by ISIL in the south of Iraq claimed 33 lives and left dozens wounded. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)