SULAIMANI (ESTA) — Iraq’s Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr said on Thursday he would give the Coordination Framework the chance to form the country’s next government, after his alliance with the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and a Sunni party failed to form the largest parliamentary bloc.
“Save the Nation” alliance between the Sadrist Movement, KDP and Taqaddum Party led by parliament speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi has failed to form the largest parliamentary bloc in the past week due to disagreements with the other Shia parties and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) over candidates for the positions of presidency and prime minister.
The tripartite alliance announced KDP’s Rebar Ahmed as its candidate for the presidency and Mohammed Jaafar al-Sadr for the premiership.
Separately, the PUK announced that incumbent Barham Salih was its only candidate for the presidency.
Under a power-sharing system designed to avoid sectarian conflict, Iraq’s president is a Kurd, its prime minister a Shia and its parliament speaker a Sunni.
On Thursday, Sadr called on his followers in a tweet not to interfere “neither positively nor negatively” as his rivals from the Coordination Framework try to cobble together in a cabinet.
His offer will allow the Coordination Framework to pursue the cleric’s Kurdish and Sunni allies in possible negotiations.
Earlier on Friday, the KDP bloc and the Taqaddum party called for national dialogue between the parties.
They also said they were committed to their alliance with Sadr.
“A new government won’t be born without the Sadrist movement,” they said in a statement.
“We are with agreements between the Shia parties in which a candidate from the Sadrist movement will be tasked to form a government.”
The 40-day window offered by al-Sadr would start on the first day of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, expected to begin on Saturday, depending on the sighting of the new moon.
The Coordination Framework is also expected to hold a meeting on Friday to discuss Sadr’s offer, according to Iraqi media.
Disagreements between Iraqi and Kurdish Kurdish parties have led to a political stalemate.
On Monday, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi and Halbousi called for an end to the political stalemate in the country.
Iraqi President Barham Salih also urged the political parties on Saturday to participate in “serious and effective dialogue to get out of the current crisis without delay”.
“The continuation of the political stalemate amid the serious challenges facing the country is unacceptable,” he said.
