Al-Sadr rebuffs offer to name PM, raises stakes for Iraq’s elections

Shafaq News – Baghdad

Muqtada al-Sadr, head of the Patriotic Shiite Movement, rejected an offer from the ruling Coordination Framework (CF) alliance to shape the next government, instead outlining three scenarios that could reshape the country’s political trajectory ahead of November’s elections, a source close to the cleric told Shafaq News on Tuesday.

The Framework, the source said, sent a personal envoy to al-Sadr with a proposal allowing him to name the next prime minister — as in 2020 with Mustafa al-Kadhimi — in exchange for staying out of the electoral process.

According to the source, al-Sadr now operates with a narrow inner circle and has become more cautious and direct in his political messaging. His options include reigniting street protests and reinstating sit-in camps, a move that could disrupt the election; accepting the vote but calling on his base to boycott, betting on low turnout and potential international skepticism about the legitimacy of the results; or pushing for a postponement, hoping regional upheavals force a delay.

The boycott scenario, the source noted, hinges on expectations that outside actors would refuse to recognize results seen as tainted by the participation of outlawed armed factions. That could create conditions for an emergency government outside the control of Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, who currently lacks strong backing from both Washington and Tehran, and even open the door for al-Kadhimi’s return as a transitional figure.