Iraq: Sadr calls for national majority government

Supporters of Iraqi Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr celebrate in Baghdad’s Tahrir square on 11 October 2021 following the announcement of parliamentary elections’ results. [Murtadha Al-Sudani – Anadolu Agency]

Iraqi Shia powerful leader Muqtada Al-Sadr today called for the formation of a “national majority” government which also includes the opposition.

“I see that the first thing that should be done in the future for the homeland is the formation of a national majority government,” Al-Sadr said on Twitter, stressing on the need for parliament to have “two loyalist parties”, one that forms the government and undertakes reforms at all levels as well as “an opposition” within the foundations of “democracy” in order to achieve “political reform”.

According to the preliminary results of the parliamentary elections held on 10 October, the Sadrist bloc won the largest share of seats in the 329-seat parliament, followed by the Taqaddoum bloc. No party has won an overall majority and so a coalition government will have to be formed.

READ: Iraq electoral commission rejects 174 appeals, accepts 7

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