End of Mahdi era

Baghdad

Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi announced his resignation on Friday after the country’s top Shiite cleric called for parliament to consider changing the government following one of the bloodiest days in two months of anti-government protests. A statement released by the prime minister’s office said he would present his resignation to parliament so that legislators could choose a new government.

Mr Abdul Mahdi’s statement referred to Grand Ayatollah Ali Al Sistani’s Friday sermon, saying he would submit his resignation to meet this request. “In response to this (Sistani’s) call, and in order to facilitate it as quickly as possible, I will present to parliament a demand (to accept) my resignation from the leadership of the current government,” Mr Abdul Mahdi said. It was unclear when he would submit his letter of resignation, which should be sent to the president rather than parliament.

Article 81 of the Iraqi constitution mandates that the president fills the role of prime minister should that position become vacant. He then will have 15 days to name a new prime minister. The Iraqi prime minister is also the commander in chief, and thus the responsibilities of that position will go temporarily to the president. Mr Al Sistani, in a sermon delivered in Najaf by his representative, said: “We call upon the House of Representatives from which this current government emerged to reconsider its options in that regard.” The cleric also appealed for restraint from both sides after security forces killed more than 40 protesters on Thursday during a crackdown ordered by Mr Abdul Mahdi in response to the torching of Iran’s consulate in Najaf.