Al-Abadi to Shafaq News: We did not boycott the elections and we support Al-Sudani’s second term.
Shafaq News – Victory Coalition leader Haider al-Abadi confirmed on Saturday that his coalition was not boycotting the elections, nor would it field any candidates. He also revealed his support for Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani to win a second term.
Al-Abadi told Shafaq News Agency, “The Victory Coalition did not boycott the elections, nor did it field candidates in the coalition’s name in the legislative elections. Some members of the Victory Coalition participated in the elections as part of the State Forces Alliance, and we will support them with votes.”
He added, “The legislative elections will be held on the scheduled date, and we are close to implementing Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani’s directives and supporting him in securing a second term.”
He continued, “Al-Sudani is the first prime minister from within Iraq, not from abroad, and that he gradually rose to this position, from mayor to governor, then minister before becoming a member of parliament, and finally becoming prime minister.”
The Victory Coalition announced at the end of June that it would not participate in the upcoming parliamentary elections, and would instead support the National State Forces Alliance. The coalition also considered the elections to be based on “political money and lacking in strictness in enforcing legal controls to prevent manipulation and vote-buying.”
Shafaq.com