Exclusive: Iraqi parties push to bring Al-Sadr back to 2025 elections

Shafaq News/ Various political factions are seeking to persuade the leader of the Patriotic Shiite Movement (PSM) Muqtada Al-Sadr to participate in Iraq’s upcoming parliamentary elections, a senior official in the movement revealed on Sunday.

The official told Shafaq News that the PSM leader had rejected all such contacts and instructed leaders within his movement not to engage with any political groups on the matter. However, the decision to boycott the next parliamentary elections is not final, “a shift in political dynamics over the coming months could lead Al-Sadr to reconsider, either through direct or indirect participation,” he unveiled.

Multiple reports in recent months have indicated that political blocs from across Iraq’s sectarian and ethnic spectrum have sent representatives to Najaf to gauge Al-Sadr’s position on the elections.

Al-Sadr exited the political process in June 2022, after withdrawing his bloc from parliament and announcing a boycott of future elections, citing his refusal to align with what he called "corrupt politicians."