Al-Sadr resists outreach as Iraqi elections near
Prominent Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr remains committed to boycotting Iraq's upcoming parliamentary elections, a source within the Shiite Coordination Framework (CF) revealed on Thursday.
Despite "discreet" efforts by rival Ammar al-Hakim to engage him in dialogue, "all communication channels remain closed, making contact with al-Sadr extremely difficult," the source told Shafaq News.
That position, however, could shift, according to the source. If al-Sadr's demands are accepted by the CF and the State Administration Coalition*, the Independent High Electoral Commission may be asked to reopen registration for his movement's candidates.
Meanwhile, political analyst Atheer al-Sharaa told Shafaq News that al-Sadr's recent publication of documents from his former alliance with Masoud Barzani and Mohammed al-Halbousi signals 'an outright rejection' of renewed consensus politics.
One of his core demands, al-Sharaa explained, is the full disarmament of all factions—including his own Saraya al-Salam—a condition several armed groups have already rejected.
Even if the Patriotic Shiite Movement returns to the race, a repeat of the 2021 scenario—when it won the most seats then withdrew—is unlikely. 'They won't risk [public unrest] with another exit unless they secure clear, binding guarantees from all parties,' al-Sharaa said.
For now, al-Sadr continues to publicly reaffirm his boycott, despite mounting political pressure. His return, if it happens, could delay the election by up to a year.
pic.twitter.com/DLriksQlML
— مقتدى السيد محمد الصدر (@Mu_AlSadr) July 9, 2025
* The CF, currently the ruling alliance, includes powerful factions such as Nouri al-Maliki's State of Law, Hadi al-Amiri's Fatah Alliance, al-Hakim's National Wisdom Movement, and other groups associated with the Popular Mobilization Forces, while the State Administration Coalition brings together Sunni and Kurdish parties like Mohammed al-Halbousi's Taqaddum and Leader Masoud Barzani's Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP).
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