Sadr vows to resort to political, popular opposition if his conditions are not met

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Influential Iraqi Shia figure Muqtada al-Sadr vows to restore political and popular opposition if the country’s political parties reject his 40 conditions for the new premiership.

Sadr, who also heads the election-winning Sairoon Coalition, warned in a statement on Thursday that he would consider political and popular opposition if Iraqi parties did not respond to his 40 conditions, calling them to join an alliance named “Saving the Nation.”

Regarding the recent wave of protests in Iraq, Sadr said timid steps had been taken to respond to peoples’ complaints. He also said there are attempts by corrupt parties to manipulate their power and politicize the protesters’ demands.

Addressing the people of Iraq, the Shia cleric noted the 40 conditions he presented to the political parties are meant to remove immoral people from power and replace them with brave, strong, and decisive ones who can prosecute the crooked.

He warned that some politicians are trying to keep the sectarian, ethnic-based government and distribute the country’s wealth among themselves.

Sadr vowed to use every possible effort to foil conspiracies against the people through the power they granted him from the popular vote as well as the 40 conditions.

“If the conditions are not met, I swear to God I will not partake in your sectarian government and division of wealth,” Sadr said, adding he would “take the path of constructive political and popular opposition.”

According to the document, Sadr set a deadline for the implementation of his 40 conditions and the demands of the protesters.

“The authentication of final elections results or 15 days is the deadline between me and [political parties]; after that, I will not allow any attacks on the protesters or disregard their demands.”

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany