Iraqiya bloc threatens to pull out of national government

Iyad Allawi is reviewing his relationship with other national political groups Baghdad – Jaafar Al Nasrawi The Iraqiya parliamentary bloc, led by Iyad Allawi, has threatened to pull out of the government and join demonstrators on the streets, if their "legitimate demands" are not met. The group has also called on the National Iraqi Alliance (NIA) to resolve the current crisis and refrain from describing the protests as "a plot."
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Iraqiya MP Haidar al-Mulla revealed that the bloc would "take to the streets and pull out of the government if the demonstrators' legitimate demands are not met."
Al-Mulla said that unilateral exercise of power, human rights violations and the politicisation of the courts could lead to "an Iraqi Spring." He added that anti-government protests were a sign of "Iraqi suffering," and called on the NIA to work towards resolving the crisis. "Stop with the stalling and delay, deal with protesters' demands and take concrete steps to realise them," he said.
Al-Mulla stressed that he is hopeful that the NIA will not put elections ahead of "Iraqi unity, security and stability." He demanded that the NIA shows respect to political partners and angry protesters on the streets by banning irresponsible media campaigns and statements referring to demonstrations as being part of a "foreign sectarian agenda."
The Iraqiya bloc MP also emphasised the importance of amending the Accountability and Justice Act to cancel foreclosure on real estate, revoke decree no. 88, amend decree no. 76 and pardon those detained and wrongly convicted.
Anti-government protests have rocked Iraqi governorates of Anbar, Saladdin and Nineveh since December, after authorities arrested 150 security staff and bodyguards protecting Finance Minister and Iraqiya block member Rafi al-Issawi.
The demonstrators protested against Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's policies and demanded the release of all prisoners [especially females]. They also called for the revocation of the accountability, justice and anti-terrorism laws, issuance of a national pardon law, resetting of the political process, an end to the policy of exclusion and a move towards balance in state institutions.
Counter-demonstrations in support of al-Maliki have urged national unity and rejected the revocation of the accountability, justice and anti-terrorism laws.