Iraq’s powerful cleric says “deadline for government reform” ends Saturday
BAGHDAD, Iraq—The influential Shiite cleric in Iraq, Muqtada al-Sadr, announced Friday that his deadline for “radical government reforms against corruption” will expire on Saturday and warned of “grave consequences” for any party that would stand in the way of “punishing the corrupted officials.”
“If Prime Minister (Haidar al-) Abadi submitted a logical and convincing reform package to the parliament, we will support him in an effective way,” Sadr said in an announcement on Friday.
“But if the parliament refuses to endorse the genuine reform package, we will then direct our protests against the anti-reformists in the parliament,” Sadr said.
The announcement was read in Baghdad’s fortified Green Zone where Sadr supporters have staged daily protests in front of government ministries since February 12, when the colorful Shiite politician gave the Iraqi government 45 days to carry out “radical reforms.”
Sadr, who fought US army in Iraq in mid-2000 and still has his own security force, demanded that the new government selects its cabinet members among Iraq’s technocrats rather than the political parties.
The embattled Iraqi Prime Minister who came to office after a political deal was reached by Iraq’s fragmented factions in 2014, has found it increasingly difficult to secure support for his new cabinet which he has vowed to be both technocratic and reformist.
“If the Prime Minister is unable to go ahead with the reforms, I do not think he will survive all the pressure and inevitably go under,” said Tariq Gardi a Kurdish lawmaker in Iraq’s parliament.
Gardi believes Abadi does not have the needed political or public support for any major reforms as most parties have chosen not to back his plan, he said.
“I don’t think the ultimatums put forward by Muqrada al-Sadr would end up in street clashes, but I think the protests will continue for a while,” Gardi said.
Sadr, whose Ahrar parliamentary block holds 34 seats in the Iraqi national assembly, has warned that his supporters will storm government offices if reforms are fruitless.
“If Prime Minister (Haidar al-) Abadi submitted a logical and convincing reform package to the parliament, we will support him in an effective way,” Sadr said in an announcement on Friday.
“But if the parliament refuses to endorse the genuine reform package, we will then direct our protests against the anti-reformists in the parliament,” Sadr said.
The announcement was read in Baghdad’s fortified Green Zone where Sadr supporters have staged daily protests in front of government ministries since February 12, when the colorful Shiite politician gave the Iraqi government 45 days to carry out “radical reforms.”
Sadr, who fought US army in Iraq in mid-2000 and still has his own security force, demanded that the new government selects its cabinet members among Iraq’s technocrats rather than the political parties.
The embattled Iraqi Prime Minister who came to office after a political deal was reached by Iraq’s fragmented factions in 2014, has found it increasingly difficult to secure support for his new cabinet which he has vowed to be both technocratic and reformist.
“If the Prime Minister is unable to go ahead with the reforms, I do not think he will survive all the pressure and inevitably go under,” said Tariq Gardi a Kurdish lawmaker in Iraq’s parliament.
Gardi believes Abadi does not have the needed political or public support for any major reforms as most parties have chosen not to back his plan, he said.
“I don’t think the ultimatums put forward by Muqrada al-Sadr would end up in street clashes, but I think the protests will continue for a while,” Gardi said.
Sadr, whose Ahrar parliamentary block holds 34 seats in the Iraqi national assembly, has warned that his supporters will storm government offices if reforms are fruitless.