6 days ago
Coordination Framework fears potential Al-Sadr-Al-Sudani alliance ahead of Iraq's election
Baghdad ( – Leaders of Iraq's ruling Shia coalition, the Coordination Framework, held a high-level meeting on Tuesday (July 15, 2025) to discuss the latest political maneuvers by influential cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, which have sparked fears of a potential new alliance between Al-Sadr and Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani that could reshape the upcoming parliamentary elections.
The meeting, held at the office of former Prime Minister and Al-Nasr Coalition leader Haider al-Abadi, focused on the repercussions of Al-Sadr's recent statements. An informed source within the Framework told a local news agency that the coalition is grappling with how to respond to this 'new equation.'
Al-Sadr's calculated move: An alternative path
Despite maintaining his personal boycott of the November 11, 2025 elections and recently disavowing dozens of his own followers for running against his decision, Al-Sadr on Monday hinted at a new strategy. He signaled his readiness to support an 'alternative bloc' that publicly commits to his comprehensive reform program.
The key tenets of Al-Sadr's program include ensuring Iraq's independence, confining all weapons to the hands of the state, strengthening the army and police, dissolving militias, and formally organizing the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) within a new legal security framework.
The Framework's fear: A Sadr-Sudani alignment
According to the source, these reformist conditions, particularly regarding state control of arms and the PMF, conflict with the policies of several key parties within the Coordination Framework. More alarmingly for some, they align with the perceived leanings of their own prime minister.
'Some leaders within the Framework have detected what they consider to be preliminary signals of an unannounced alignment between Al-Sadr and the leanings of Al-Sudani on this matter,' the source explained. 'These leaders fear that Al-Sadr could provide indirect support to Al-Sudani in the upcoming elections,' creating a powerful new rival bloc that could challenge their dominance.
The Framework's meeting reportedly stressed the need to contain any shifts in Shia voter sentiment that could lead to a fragmentation of their power base.
Political analyst Atheer Al-Sharaa noted that Al-Sadr's recent publication of his old 'Triple Alliance' documents was a 'clear rejection of consensus-based politics,' suggesting he feels betrayed by past allies and is unwilling to repeat the experience. He added that any genuine consensus would be complex, as Al-Sadr's condition of disarming all factions has been met with rejection by some armed groups.
As the November election approaches, Al-Sadr's latest move has successfully reshuffled the political deck. The Coordination Framework now faces the complex challenge of managing not only its primary rival but also the potential for a powerful new political axis to form around its own Prime Minister.
