Members of the largest party in the Iraqi parliament have resigned in protest at the political stalemate in the country. They heeded a call from their party leader, the influential cleric Moqtada al-Sadr.
Sadr’s party was joined the elections in October the largest party in parliament with 73 of the 329 seats. Forming a coalition with a Sunni and a Kurdish party seemed to clear the way for a government, but a rival Shia party has been blocking that for months.
Sadr, who has a loyal following, is critical of both the US and Iran’s meddling in the country. Its Shia rivals in parliament are actually supported by the neighboring country. They lost two-thirds of their seats in parliament in the last election, but refused to accept that result.
Fear of violence
The deadlock is exacerbating the crisis in the country. Iraq has been struggling for years with food shortages and power cuts, exacerbated by a drought and the war in Ukraine.
The Dutch UN envoy Hennis-Plasschaert warned the arguing politicians last month that the crisis could degenerate into violent street protests, as the country in 2019 also saw† She called on them to place national interest above short-sighted self-interest.
Correspondent Daisy Mohr made this report about young politicians in the country last year:
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