Presidential vote crisis will likely affect Iraq's stability

A new political crisis is erupting in Iraq because of differences over the formation of the new government and the postponement of the presidential elections.

The crisis comes as leader of the Sadrist Bloc, Muqtada al-Sadr, insists to suspend negotiations over the formation of the new government in Iraq.

Representatives of the bloc also absented themselves from a parliamentary session on the presidential vote.

Sadr sent a message to his supporters, asking them not to vote for the candidate of the allied Kurdistan Democratic Party, if he does not meet specific conditions.

This was seen as an implicit reference to Hoshyar Zebari, the presidential candidate of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, who has come at the center of corruption allegations in recent days.

The Iraqi Federal Supreme Court also issued a series of decisions in the past few days that have a direct impact on government formation efforts.

Sadr's boycott of the presidential vote and his refusal to support Mr. Zebari, who runs against incumbent Barham Salih, the candidate of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, confirm his quest to achieve Kurdish consensus and non-split over the candidate's personality.

This position, some people say, give all parties a chance to settle disputes between the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Patriotic Union by providing the necessary time for the two parties to agree on a compromise candidate.

Sadr's position is also viewed as an attempt to accommodate the two Kurdish parties, given their differences of visions.

This is especially true with regard to managing relations with Baghdad.

The Democratic Party sought to support the decision to separate the Kurdistan region from Iraq in the past, and in contrast to it, the Patriotic Union wants Kurdistan to remain within the Iraqi state.