A government will generally go to the group with the most money. In the case of Muslim societies, that would be the clerics. Being cultural centers, the mosques are the great repositories of local funds. It is right that advise is passed on and this money is used for the community, but passing laws and using the money to enforce controls appears to be the goal of many Middle Eastern Muslim clerics. I have no qualms against personal censorship, but censoring the public should never be a governmental function. The results would be an ignorant public living in fear.

Is it possible the people have becomes used to this?.

Dunno if a religious democracy is even possible, but I strongly doubt it. Of course the clerics in power say differently, "as expected."

However:
“We were ruled by steel and fire for 35 years. The most difficult thing will be to rebuild the Iraqi personality on a proper basis. That is the most difficult task.”

A factor often ignored.

But then:
“Right now, I think there is an informational battle going on. America is a clever enemy, and I respect a clever enemy.”

"America." That translates quickly to the United States of America. As has been stated many times on these HZ boards, Muslims (not the domestic bread found in our local schools, but the variety found in the wilds of the Middle East) are taught to see the West as being evil in general, and the US in particular, "as expected."

“If the seminary says do something, do it. If the seminary says don’t do something, don’t do it.”

Also "as expected."

And democracy takes an early blow:
In other meetings, Shuweili and other clerics have insisted on supervising elections for the doctors, engineers and teachers unions to ensure the integrity of the voting and keep Baath Party members out ...

We have a thing or two against the Ba'ath Party, but, in the decadent US, even card-carrying Nazis are allowed to vote.

And a cleric's promise:
“We gave them advice. It’s good whoever listens to us. Whoever doesn’t is free not to.”

They are "free not to." An interesting theory.

“I hope the seminary will stay within the borders of religion and play no role in politics. Politics have no principle. Politics are the art of possibility. That’s my personal opinion. Maybe it’s not the opinion of the seminary.”
-- Taher Barkaa, president of Mustansariya University, Baghdad

We'll have to see what happens next,
Dan