Iraq Popular Mobilisation Forces reject Sadr’s call to dissolve Parliament

Iraq’s Iran-backed Popular Mobilisation Forces (Hashd Al-Shaabi) rejected, on Thursday, the call of Iraqi Shia cleric and head of the Sadrist movement, Moqtada Al-Sadr, to dissolve Parliament and hold early elections, Anadolu news agency reported.

Lead of the Popular Mobilisation Forces, Falih Al-Fayyad, said in a statement to Al Jazeera,  that “Al-Sadr proposal to resolve the crisis can be discussed to reach a consensus; however, dissolving the Parliament is a big step that cannot be accepted unless it is agreed upon by all political parties”.

“Al-Sadr is still present on the political scene despite the resignation of his deputies,” he added.

Earlier on Wednesday, Al-Sadr called to dissolve Parliament and hold early elections to end the nine-month political deadlock that has prevented the formation of a government since the 10 October, 2021 elections.

READ: UN envoy meets Sadr to end political crisis in Iraq

Last June, 73 representatives of Al-Sadr’s movement, out of 329, submitted their resignations, after failing to form a national majority government, as the Coordinating Framework, a pro-Iran Shia alliance, insisted on forming a national consensus government.

Following the resignation of Al-Sadr movement deputies, the Framework has a parliamentary majority that enables it to form a government.

Last Saturday, Al-Sadr’s supporters stormed, for the second time in less than a week, the Parliament headquarters in the capital, Baghdad, to reject the Coordinating Framework nomination of Mohammad Shayaa Al-Sudani for the prime minister post.