Sadr threatens to withdraw from Iraqi parliament

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Leader of the Sadrist Movement Muqtada al-Sadr urged his bloc's MPs to have their resignation papers ready for submission as the prominent cleric warns of resigning from the legislature with government formation stalled. 

Sadr in a televised address threatened to resign from the Iraqi parliament "in the coming days," ordering his bloc's members to "prepare their resignation papers to submit to the parliament presidency in the coming days," following many attempts by the top cleric to form a government that ultimately led to no avail.

His attempts have been repeatedly disrupted by the Coordination Framework, an Iran-backed Shiite alliance, and his main rival in the quest to form a government. The Coordination Framework boycotted parliamentary sessions initiated by the tripartite alliance – consisting of the Sadrist bloc, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), and the Sunni Sovereignty Alliance – on several occasions through boycotts.

The development comes as Iraq continues to be shrouded in political instability with the country yet to form its next government a staggering eight months following the October elections.

"We are trying to reform and we will not support corrupt people," he added, saying "the solution is only a national majority government and reform can only be achieved through a national majority government."

Sadr's attempts to form a national majority government have been opposed by the Coordination Framework, who insists on forming a more traditional government based on political consensus.

In May, the influential cleric ruled out the possibility of striking a deal with the Coordination Framework, accusing Iraq's politicians of having "become an example of corruption and vice."

With the gap between Iraq's rivaling political blocs wider than ever, the caretaker government's deprivation of passing proper, long-term decisions to stabilize various sectors of the country and address broad issues continues to have detrimental effects on the country.