Exclusive: CF struggles to draw Muqtada Al-Sadr into government talks
Shafaq News - Baghdad (Updated on Nov. 23 at 09:33)
Senior figures inside the Coordination Framework (CF) are attempting to initiate contact with Muqtada Al-Sadr, leader of the Patriotic Shiite Movement (PSM), as part of early efforts to form Iraq’s next government.
Sources told Shafaq News on Saturday that a well-known government figure with longstanding ties to the PSM made the first discreet attempt to open a channel yesterday. The move aimed to brief Al-Sadr on initial government-formation procedures and explore whether a meeting could be arranged.
According to the sources, the individual held direct conversations with second-tier Sadrist officials “to explore a mechanism that would allow a visit to Al-Hanana [Al-Sadr’s headquarters].”
“So far, no positive signals have been received, and the decision remains entirely with Al-Sadr,” one source said, adding that the Framework “intends to continue trying.”
A senior member of the movement told Shafaq News on Thursday that Al-Sadr “rejects any communication channels, direct or indirect, with the Coordination Framework” regarding the next cabinet.
He added that Al-Sadr reiterated this position in recent internal meetings, stressing that “no form of involvement in government formation will be accepted.”
Though the PSM currently holds no seats in parliament, Al-Sadr remains one of Iraq’s most influential figures. He previously mobilized large numbers of supporters in nationwide protests targeting government performance and corruption.
Read more: Iraq's political enigma: The unpredictable maneuvers of Muqtada al-Sadr
