Iraqi Consensus Front
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| Iraqi Consensus Front | |
|---|---|
| Name | Iraqi Consensus Front |
| Native name | الجبهة العراقية للتوافق |
| Founded | 2004 |
| Dissolved | 2009 |
| Ideology | Sunni Arab nationalism; Iraqi centrism; civil nationalism |
| Headquarters | Baghdad |
| Country | Iraq |
Iraqi Consensus Front The Iraqi Consensus Front was a Sunni Arab political coalition in Iraq formed in the aftermath of the 2003 invasion of Iraq to contest the 2005 Iraqi legislative election and influence post‑Saddam politics. It brought together former members of the Ba'ath Party, Sunni tribal leaders, and Sunni politicians associated with the interim Iraqi Governing Council and later parliaments, seeking representation within the Iraqi Transitional Government and the Council of Representatives of Iraq. The Front sought to mediate between Sunni constituencies, Kurdish parties such as the Kurdistan Democratic Party and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, and Shi'a parties including the Islamic Dawa Party and the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq.
Overview
The coalition presented itself as a broad Sunni coalition combining figures linked to the Iraqi Islamic Party, former ministers from the Ba'athist Iraq, Sunni tribal sheikhs from provinces like Anbar Governorate and Salah ad Din Governorate, and technocrats with ties to institutions such as the Central Bank of Iraq and the University of Baghdad. It competed with lists including the Iraqi Accord Front and the Sunni Endowment, while engaging with national blocs like the United Iraqi Alliance and the Iraqiyya coalition led by Ayad Allawi. The Front aimed to influence legislation in the Council of Representatives of Iraq and to secure posts in cabinets formed after the 2005 Iraqi parliamentary election and the 2010 Iraqi parliamentary election.
History and Formation
The coalition emerged in 2004 amid debates over the 2005 Iraqi constitution and the timetable for elections set by the Coalition Provisional Authority. Its membership included figures who had served under Saddam Hussein as well as Sunni politicians from the Iraqi Islamic Party who had opposed the occupation. Early organizers negotiated with provincial actors from Al Anbar Governorate and representatives of the Iraqi Armed Forces formerly under the Republican Guard. The Front’s formation was influenced by regional dynamics involving neighboring states such as Jordan, Syria, and Turkey, and by international actors including the United States Department of Defense, the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq, and European diplomatic missions based in Baghdad.
Political Positions and Platform
The Front advocated for Sunni Arab interests within the framework of the 2005 Iraqi constitution while opposing wholesale de-Ba'athification policies enacted after the 2003 invasion of Iraq. It supported federal arrangements affecting provinces like Nineveh Governorate and Diyala Governorate, promoted the protection of Sunni religious institutions including the Sunni Endowment, and called for reintegration of former officials into institutions such as the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Defense. The coalition pushed for amendments to oil revenue distribution set out in discussions with entities like the Iraqi National Oil Company and urged cooperation with the Multinational force in Iraq's withdrawal timetable. In foreign policy, it sought balanced relations with Iran and Turkey and engagement with the Arab League.
Electoral Performance
The Front contested the 2005 Iraqi legislative election and subsequent provincial elections, often competing against lists such as the Iraqi Accord Front and the secular Iraqiyya coalition. It won a limited number of seats in the Council of Representatives of Iraq and secured representation in provincial councils in Anbar Governorate and Salah ad Din Governorate, though its performance was constrained by rival Sunni lists and by security challenges including insurgent activity tied to groups like Al-Qaeda in Iraq and later Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. Electoral visibility fluctuated through the 2009 Iraqi governorate elections and the 2010 national contest, after which some members migrated to broader national blocs such as Iraqiyya.
Leadership and Organization
The coalition’s leadership included former ministers and prominent Sunni politicians with links to institutions like the Baghdad Provincial Council and the Iraqi Interim Government. Prominent figures had past associations with entities such as the Ba'ath Party, the Iraqi Islamic Party, and academic bodies including the University of Mosul. Organizationally the Front attempted to coordinate between tribal networks in Ramadi, clerical figures linked to the Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani’s advisory circles, and technocrats experienced in ministries such as the Ministry of Finance (Iraq). Internal tensions mirrored national splits between factions aligned with Iraqi prime ministers across successive cabinets.
Alliances and Rivalries
The Front negotiated alliances with Sunni blocs like the Iraqi Accord Front and engaged in coalition talks with national groupings including the United Iraqi Alliance and Iraqiyya. It faced rivalry from Islamist parties including the Hizb al‑Dawa al‑Islamiyya and secular parties such as the Iraqi Communist Party and the National Democratic Movement. Regional actors like the Kurdistan Democratic Party alternately cooperated or competed with the Front over provincial boundaries and resource-sharing agreements, while international actors including the United States Department of State and the European Union monitored its coalition-building.
Impact and Legacy
The Front's legacy lies in its role representing Sunni Arab constituencies during Iraq's transitional period and in shaping debates over de-Ba'athification, provincial federalism, and oil revenue sharing. Its participation influenced subsequent realignments that produced coalitions like Iraqiyya and contributed to political accommodations that involved parties such as the State of Law Coalition and the National Alliance (Iraq). Former members continued to affect provincial politics in Anbar Governorate and Salah ad Din Governorate and to participate in institutions including the Council of Representatives of Iraq and ministries responsible for reconstruction and security.