Iraq’s Sadr rejects returning to 'quota' system

By Hamdi Yildiz

BAGHDAD

Prominent Iraqi Shia cleric and politician Muqtada al-Sadr on Saturday announced his refusal to establish the government in Iraq based on “quota” system.

In a post on its official Twitter account, al-Sadr said: "We will not go back to the beginning. We will never return to the sects, corruption, quota system and ethnicity.

"We will definitely not join them if they return to old system and we will oppose them in parliament," he added.

Many Iraqi political forces, including Al-Wataniya, blame the country’s political “quota” system -- which is ostensibly aimed at ensuring fair representation -- for the violence and corruption with which Iraq has been plagued since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003

The quota system was initially set up by Paul Bremer, who was appointed head of the Coalition Provisional Authority (Iraq’s post-invasion U.S.-led interim government) in 2004.

Under Bremer’s quota system, the post of president is reserved for a Kurd; that of prime minister for a Shia Muslim; and that of Parliament Speaker for a Sunni Muslim.

Once Iraq’s Federal Court approves the results of a recently-conducted manual recount of May 12 parliamentary poll results, incoming MPs will hold a first session to elect a new assembly speaker.

Within 30 days of that first session, the assembly will elect -- by a two-thirds majority -- the country’s next president.