73 members of Sadr Party at Iraqi parliament submitted their resignations.
Iraqi legislators from Sadr faction, led by the popular Shiite leader, submitted their resignation letter yesterday. The measure is apparently intended to resolve an eight-month period of political gridlock.
Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament confirmed the resignations in a post on twitter. Mohammed al-Halboussi wrote “we have reluctantly accepted requests of our brothers and sisters, representatives of the al-Sadr bloc, to resign.”
Three days earlier, Sadr ordered Members of his party at the parliament, the largest in the legislative chamber, to prepare resignation letters. According to him, the move is intended to put an end to the legislative gridlock and open the way for the formation of a fresh administration.
Since the general election late last year, Iraqi legislature has been in disarray. Political groups have proved unable to reach an agreement on a new PM to replace the incumbent Mustafa al-Kadhimi after months of rigorous talks.
Iraqi parliamentarians have already missed all of the constitution’s dates for forming a new administration. The political dispute in the war-torn country was exacerbated by the circumstances.
Al-Sadr is a religious nationalist who has made a name for himself as an outspoken critic of US policies. He described the move “a sacrifice from me for the country and the people to rid them of the unknown destiny,” in a statement.
Sadr party won the most seats in legislature in the October 2021 election, bringing its total seats to 73. However, political differences between parties have hampered the parliament’s ability to pick a leader and establish a cabinet.
Sadr, whose followers battled US foreign troops, still has influence, even though his removal is a blow. The millions of his supporters can launch demonstrations or initiate new sociological and political reforms in Iraq.
Parliament after Sadr
It is still unclear how the biggest group in legislature would be handled right away. The resignations, according to experienced Iraqi lawmakers, might lead to pandemonium across Iraq
Based on the constitution, if a seat falls empty, the candidate who received the second majority of votes in the voting constituency will take the place. The Coordination Framework according to the expectations, would most potentially benefit from new condition Shiite parties close to Iran and their supporters lead the alliance.
There are already worries that the deadlock and escalations could erupt, resulting in major disturbances. Followers of Sadr have the ability to incite conflict between opposing armed forces.
“Sadr reached to the point that he accepted the bitter reality that it’s nearly impossible to form a government away from the Iranian-backed groups,” an expert at Baghdad university acknowledged.
Al-Sadr has hinted at the capability of his forces, Saraya Salam, on several times. They have just opened its requirements to trainees in multiple governorates in Iraq.
The failure of Sadr faction to form a stable government after eight months might also prove disappointing for the followers. This might affect the political society of Iraq in coming months, specifically under the control of the Coordination Framework.
Despite similar approaches with Iran in many spheres like the US involvement, Sadr has displayed signs of the inclination to turn into the sole power in Iraq. Failing in the practice, he opened the way for other factions to cooperate in establishment of the new administrative structure.
The eight-month lesson might also impact Sadr policies in the future. His wider cooperation with other Shiite groups is not far from considerations due to his failure in moving unilaterally. The coming weeks might prove crucial in the political future of Sadr, his movement and Iraq.
