Sadrist bloc discusses formation of new Iraqi government with KDP leader

Karwan Faidhi Dri

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A delegation from the Sadrist bloc met with the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) leader Masoud Barzani in Erbil on Tuesday, discussing the October 10 elections and the formation of a new government for Iraq, according to Barzani’s office.  

“They talked about the political process in Iraq, election results and the efforts to hold the first meeting of the Iraqi parliament and the formation of a new Iraqi government,” read a statement from Barzani’s office. Both sides emphasized on overcoming challenges in the country as well as the resolution of Erbil-Baghdad issues, it added. 

Hassan al-Athari, head of the bloc, led the delegation. 

“They [Sadrist bloc] believe that the next government should be different from the previous ones which were formed based on consensus. They think that some of the winners who have gained most of the seats should form the [new] cabinet while some others remain as opposition,” Mahmoud Mohammed, KDP spokesperson, later told Rudaw’s Hawraz Gulpi. 

Muqtada al-Sadr, leader of the Sadrist movement, has emphasized several times that he wants a “national-majority” cabinet. 

The Sadrist bloc, which gained 73 seats out of the legislature’s 329 seats in the parliamentary election, has begun efforts to establish a cabinet that consists of the main winners of the vote. 

Shiite parties have been divided into two blocks: Sadrists and Coordination Framework. Kurds have said they will not be part of disputes between both sides. 
 
The October 10 vote’s controversial results were ratified by the Federal Supreme Court late December, ending months of disputes over the final results and paved the way for the political parties to hold further meetings to negotiate the formation of a new cabinet.  

KDP, which had gained 33 seats in the initial results, lost two seats to the PUK when the final results were announced. This increased PUK’s seats from 15 to 17 but a Kurdish winning candidate, who won a seat in Kirkuk, has announced she is affiliated to the party as well.

The Kurdistan Region’s both ruling parties, KDP and PUK, have already held several meetings with Iraqi political parties regarding Iraq’s new cabinet.

Both parties will meet on Wednesday. They have announced that they will negotiate the formation of a new cabinet in Baghdad with Iraqi political parties as one team. 

The KDP spokesperson said on Tuesday that they have a joint agenda with PUK which could be finalized during Wednesday's meeting. Mohammed also said that KDP and PUK have agreed that “this cabinet should have real partnership for the [ethnic and religious] groups in Iraq,” adding that these parties should be considered in decision making. 

Kurds have been kingmakers regarding the formation of a number of Iraqi cabinets in the past.