Sadrists Try To Pressure Courts To Dismiss Iraq’s Parliament

(NRT)

On August 23 Moqtada al-Sadr tried a new tactic. He sent his followers to protest outside the Supreme Judicial Council in Baghdad. His intent was to pressure the courts to dismiss the parliament so new elections could be held which would hopefully give he and his allies the majority needed to create a new administration. This was despite the courts saying they had no authority to do that. Sadr doesn’t want parliament to vote on the matter because he might be defeated so he’s using the streets again to try to press his point.

 

This is the latest example of Sadr attempting to escalate things to try to form a majority government. After failing to form a new administration in parliament he had all his followers resign their positions. He then took to the streets and occupied the parliament building in Baghdad. That didn’t move things so now he’s targeting the Judicial Council. That’s unlikely to work just as the previous moves did which means the deadlock will continue into the foreseeable future.

 

SOURCES

 

Bas News, “Iraqi Judicial Council Rejects Sadr’s Call to Dissolve Parliament,” 8/10/22

 

NRT, “Judicial Council Says It Does Not Have Authority To Dissolve Parliament,” 8/14/22

-  “Sadr issues Demand For Dissolution Of Parliament Next Week,” 8/10/22

- “Supreme Judicial Council Suspends Operations Amid Protest From Sadrist Movement,” 8/23/22