Former Prime Minister, Dr. Ibrahim Al-Jaafari, a member of the Iraqi National coalition and a potential candidate for the Prime Minister post said there is a possibility he will join a coalition with the State of Law group after the announcement of the elections results. "Niqash" interviewed al-Jaafari at his office inside the Green Zone and found out his expectations regarding the future political map in Iraq.

Niqash: How likely is it that you will ally yourself with Nouri al-Maliki’s State of Law Coalition?

Al-Jaafari: We are not only inclined to do so, but we also have strong conviction, deeply rooted in our national values, to enter into such a coalition, because we want to represent all the Iraqi people, regardless of their ethnic, religious or sectarian affiliations.

The Constitution grants the biggest parliamentary bloc the right to nominate the Prime Minister. Endorsing this nomination does not only require the nominated Prime Minister’s bloc’s support, but the new Prime Minister should also build a coalition that allows him to collect more votes in his support. This is now one of the parliamentary issues to be resolved. I stress the importance of building alliances with all political forces to form the largest coalition inside the Parliament. This will allow us the opportunity to reflect our national position within the Iraqi political landscape and open up to all patriotic forces - including those who failed in the elections.

Niqash: Will there be a new political map in Iraq?

Al-Jaafari: For sure there will be some changes in the political map. However, I don’t think there will be a dramatic change. In democratic transformations, the move towards change and progress is usually gradual and leaps only tend to come rarely.

Niqash: Experts say that they fear a new norm in Iraq, similar to that in Lebanon, where the Prime Minister’s post becomes one limited only to the Shiites, a house speaker post monopolised by the Sunnis and a president post restricted to Kurds. Do you think that this scenario is a possible one?

Al-Jaafari: We are against such a formula. We want the door to be wide open for all Iraqi who have the necessary expertise to hold the highest government positions. We consider the ethnic and sectarian norm unhealthy and believe it would lead to deepening the divisions among the Iraqi people. This state has existed in the current parliament and an end for it requires a new parliamentary system. If some forces insist on maintaining the formula, and if Iraqis continue to be indecisive regarding their future, I am afraid that the current state of affairs will prevail and a Lebanese-like system will become a constitutional norm in Iraq.

Niqash: What kind of a state would you like to form in the future in case you win in the forthcoming parliamentary elections?

Al-Jaafari: First of all, I want to see a real state being built. Now, there is no state in Iraq, no state that respects human beings and their dignities. The first step is to protect people and their rights from any violations, provide care for the poor and to combat poverty. Second, the constitution must be respected and applied. We should educate ourselves and the people to respect our constitution. Third, there should be a national government that represents the interests of all people and not only those of a certain party or sect – a government open to all those with necessary qualifications and experience. Fourth, the state must abide by good governance rules and discharge it duties decisively and resolutely. It must provide security and protect its institutions from administrative corruption. At the same time, the government must preserve Iraq’s sovereignty and its control over its land and resources. Last but not least, I want to see an Iraqi state that enjoys good internal relations with all the Iraqi components but also with all countries of the world.

Niqash: Nouri al-Maliki, the current Prime Minister, is calling for the adoption of presidential system rather than a parliamentary system during the upcoming period. Where do you stand on that proposition?

Al-Jaafari: There is no doubt that I myself aspire to such a system. Among the catastrophic factors in the past was the choice of a parliamentary system for managing the country’s affairs. This system relies on ethnic and sectarian quotas and undermines people’s choices with its exclusive nature – those who are qualified to hold high ranking positions have been excluded. Such practices contradict aspirations for a democratic transformation.

Niqash: If your list is elected would you seek to amend the constitution to serve this purpose?

Al-Jaafari: It is up to the Iraqi people to amend the constitution…But yes, we will demand a constitutional amendment in the coming phase. Amendments to constitutions are something decided upon by the people.

Niqash: The Iraqi national coalition and other current forces claim they are national, non-sectarian streams. They claim to represent all Iraqis. Is it enough to present some Sunni and secular personalities in your coalition to claim it is non-sectarian?

Al-Jaafari: Regarding the coalition’s structure, our doors are open to all Iraqi national forces as long as they adhere to our national principles, particularly with regard to sovereignty, wealth and resources, governance, non-sectarian approaches, the constitution and all other Iraqi national values. As I understand it, our coalition is a national one, as we have decided, and we have agreed on a set of values that couldn’t be compromised. We have benefited from the past mistakes and experiences of our coalition and of others.

Niqash: Who do you think will win the highest number of votes among the Shiite streams?

Al-Jaafari: It is difficult to say who. It is up to the Iraqi people, who were the entire time alert to the words and deeds of all streams, to decide who will win elections. The competition is not between good and evil, but it was rather left to people to choose between the good and the better, and also between the strong and the stronger. We want the stronger parties to win and we want these parties to be inclusive in their approaches to less strong ones and to allow them the opportunity to effectively participate in political life. We do not want to repeat the mistakes of the past, mistakes that have been the cause of suffering, totalitarian dictatorship and fascism.

Niqash: Tension between the Central Government and the Kurdistan government is running high over several issues. Could these tensions drive the Kurds to declare an independent state?

Al-Jaffari: The Constitution gave them this right. Personally, I believe that the Kurdish people, all over Iraq, are against independence despite the fact that many Kurds took very defensive stances in the past. These were only reactions to the behavior of different dictatorships. Today, Kurds stand side by side with the Iraqi people and the Kurdish leaders occupy high-ranking posts and are present everywhere. So there is no need for declaring an independent state.

Niqash: As a potential Prime Ministerial candidate, can you confirm whether neighboring countries interfere in the nomination process of the Prime Minister or is it a completely internal decision?

Al-Jaafari: Neighboring countries may suggest some names and it is their right to do so. We cannot deprive them that right. However, we do not accept any interference in the selection process in our internal procedures for two reasons: First, because such intervention is a violation to the rights of the Iraqi people, and second because the biggest winner will not reflect the votes of the Iraqi people but those of foreign countries.

Niqash: What about the alleged role of Iranians in Iraq?

Al-Jaafari: Allegations against Iranians are similar to those against Turks, Saudis, Jordanians and Syrians, as well as others. Interventions by other countries are not of major concern to me. My real concern is to make Iraq strong enough not to allow any foreign intervention in its internal affairs.