Iraq: Al-Sadr announces his bloc has turned into opposition
The head of the Sadrist movement in Iraq makes way for other parliamentary blocs to form a government in a 30-day period.
Muqtada Al-Sadr, the leader of Iraq's Sadrist movement, announced on Sunday that his parliamentary bloc failed to form a national majority government, noting that his bloc has turned into the opposition, and will make way for other blocs to form a government.
Al-Sadr tweeted that he is "honored" to have the largest parliamentary bloc in Iraqi history and to be able to rely on himself and not be a follower of foreign powers. He also added that he is facing increasing pressure on both the domestic and foreign fronts.
He concluded that his bloc will become part of the opposition for a period of no less than 30 days and leave other parliamentary blocs to the task of forming a national government.
— مقتدى السيد Ù…Øمد الصدر (@Mu_AlSadr) May 15, 2022
Iraq's independent lawmakers launched an initiative on Sunday to end the government formation crisis.
Al-Sadr had announced late in March that he and his bloc will withdraw from negotiations to elect the president and from the formation of the next government.