Basra governor tests the waters for the premiership
The governor of Basra is moving between political blocs and high-level leaders in a bid to access the premiership, but the political landscape does not appear conducive for this.
Through a series of meetings with heads of alliances and party leaders, Basra Gov. Asaad al-Eidani has presented himself as a candidate for the prime minister post.
On Dec. 18, he met with Nassar al-Rubaie, head of the political committee of the Sadrist movement. On Dec. 19, he met Fatah Alliance head Hadi al-Amiri in Baghdad.
Sources wishing to remain anonymous within Eidani’s Tasmeem Alliance told Al-Monitor that he has been "conducting behind-the-scenes contacts with many political parties, presenting himself as the right man for the right job as premier.”
Eidani’s experience as governor of Basra, however, has not been the most successful, as Iraqi activists have continued to call on him to step down and be held accountable over the killings of activists and protesters, with the hashtag #Eidani’s dismissal still trending on Twitter.
