Muqtada al-Sadr, the head of the Sadrist movement, called for his supporters to boycott the provincial council elections on Monday, warning that this would undermine their validity both internationally and internally.
In response to a question from one of his supporters about voting, al-Sadr stated, “One of the most important things that distinguishes the Sadrist base is its unity, obedience, and loyalty, and this is what the nations brag about, and praise be to God… and you must commit to reform even if Muqtada al-Sadr dies.”
“Your participation with the corrupt saddens me greatly,” he continued. Your boycott of the elections both makes me glad and incites hate… It undermines the international and domestic validity of elections, as well as the supremacy of corrupt and obedient individuals over our beautiful Iraq, which may God Almighty protect from all evil and from every corrupt and unjust person.”
“Then the global and regional situation is affecting the situation in Iraq,” Al-Sadr concluded. And with it, we must remain watchful and prepared at all times, as the enemy lurks in our Iraq and our holy places, so please be cautious.”
Muqtada al-Sadr, the head of the Sadrist movement, said on June 15, 2022, that he had decided to withdraw from the country’s political process and not participate in any future elections in order to avoid collaborating with “corrupt” politicians.
Al-Sadr made the declaration during a meeting in Najaf with leaders of the Sadrist group, who resigned from Parliament eight months after the parliamentary elections (which were conducted on October 10, 2021).
Following the exit of the Sadrists, the coordination framework, which comprises all Shiite groups save the Sadrist movement, was able to create a government in October 2022 in agreement with the Kurdish and Sunni blocs, led by Muhammad Shiaa al-Sudani.
