Sadr calls for brotherhood in phone call with Barzanis
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Masoud and Nechirvan Barzani called Muqtada al-Sadr on Tuesday to extend their congratulations on his election win, Sadr’s office stated.
They wished “his eminence success,” the statement said.
Masoud Barzani is former president of the Kurdistan Region and current leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP).
Nechirvan Barzani, his nephew, is KRG prime minister and deputy leader of the KDP.
Sadr thanked them for their wishes and expressed his hope that “the brotherhood of the Iraqi people be strengthened and for the love ties be solidified between the different sects, components and ethnicities.”
A Shiite cleric, Sadr ran on a non-sectarian platform pledging to tackle corruption. His movement joined forces with the Communist Party on the Sayirun alliance.
They have emerged as the surprise leader after the release of preliminary results.
Fifteen days after final election results are released, the new parliament must hold its first session during which the speaker will be chosen. A new president will be elected within three days of the legislature convening and the president will then ask the largest parliamentary bloc to form a cabinet.
Traditionally, the speaker of the parliament has been a Sunni Arab, the prime minister a Shiite, and the president a Kurd.
Sadr and Erbil have frequently taken a similar stance with respect to Iraqi politics over the past decade, including opposition to Nouri al-Maliki during his tenure as prime minister.
They wished “his eminence success,” the statement said.
Masoud Barzani is former president of the Kurdistan Region and current leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP).
Nechirvan Barzani, his nephew, is KRG prime minister and deputy leader of the KDP.
Sadr thanked them for their wishes and expressed his hope that “the brotherhood of the Iraqi people be strengthened and for the love ties be solidified between the different sects, components and ethnicities.”
A Shiite cleric, Sadr ran on a non-sectarian platform pledging to tackle corruption. His movement joined forces with the Communist Party on the Sayirun alliance.
They have emerged as the surprise leader after the release of preliminary results.
Fifteen days after final election results are released, the new parliament must hold its first session during which the speaker will be chosen. A new president will be elected within three days of the legislature convening and the president will then ask the largest parliamentary bloc to form a cabinet.
Traditionally, the speaker of the parliament has been a Sunni Arab, the prime minister a Shiite, and the president a Kurd.
Sadr and Erbil have frequently taken a similar stance with respect to Iraqi politics over the past decade, including opposition to Nouri al-Maliki during his tenure as prime minister.