CF calls Al-Sadr to rejoin the political scene in Iraq

Shafaq News/ The Pro-Iranian Coordination Framework (CF) revealed on Wednesday that it sent a letter to the leader of the Sadrist Movement, Muqtada Al-Sadr, to reverse his opinion regarding withdrawal from Parliament.

A source in the Framework told Shafaq News Agency that the letter included a demand from Al-Sadr to rejoin the parliamentary work.

"We are waiting for the position of the Sadrists bloc regarding our intention to visit Al-Hannana (the headquarters of Al-Sar in Najaf). If they accept, a CF delegation headed by Hadi Al-Amiri will go, or the negotiation would take place in Baghdad, where all parties would meet at an inclusive round table."

According to the letter, the Framework informed the leader of the Sadrist Movement that it would form an expanded majority government, and the Sadrist bloc "must determine its position on this issue."

After the resignation of the largest bloc in the Parliament, the Sadrists, several scenarios face Iraq, and the country would be mired in political instability.

Five pollical initiatives have been launched so far from different parties.

The last is from the Iraqi President, Barham Salih.

A source close to the President said that Salih started working on the initiative shortly after al-Sadr decided to pull out of the political process, pointing out that the President received positive signs from the political parties, especially the Coordination Framework.

He added that the initiative aims to make al-Sadr reverse his decision which can seriously affect the country, noting that no government can succeed without Sadrist blessing and support.

Earlier, a leader in the Framework said to our Agency that its group does not preclude the return of the Sadrist bloc to the political arena following the initiative of the head of the Kurdistan Democratic Party leader Masoud Barzani hoped to be presented soon.

Barzani's initiative includes that caretaker prime minister, Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, would be chosen for another term, but ministers would be changed.

If Al-Sadr insists on his position to leave the Parliament, then the Coordination Framework and the independent deputies would benefit by increasing their seat numbers.

According to Iraqi laws, if any seat in Parliament becomes vacant, the candidate who obtains the second-highest number of votes in their electoral district would replace them.

Now, many challenges face the initiatives to overcome the long political deadlock; the first challenge is a three-times fail in choosing the new Iraqi President due to the differences between the two Kurdish poles; the Kurdistan Democratic Party says the position of the President of the Republic is a "Kurdish entitlement, and not for a specific party." and, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan asserts that this position is its right.

The second challenge is forming a new government and Prime Minister, and the third is the political situation and new alliances with Al-Sadr's withdrawal.

Another challenge may disturb and complicate the scene, the stalemate and tension that could boil over and lead to street protests by supporters of al-Sadr, turning into violence.