News / Iraq

Iraqi religious authority says stays neutral concerning govt. makeup

Tuesday, 02 November 2021 5:22 PM [ Last Update: Tuesday, 02 November 2021 5:48 PM ]

Iraq’s most prominent Shia cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani

Iraq’s most prominent Shia cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani insists on its state of “neutrality” concerning the makeup of the Arab country’s future government.

The clergy’s office announced his position on Tuesday, saying he did not support any particular political group or movement as far as “the government formation negotiations” were concerned.

The office, which is located in the holy city of Najaf, therefore, called any news or information to the contrary “completely baseless.”

A total of 329 seats were up for grabs in the October 10 elections and more than 3,240 candidates were running.

A count based on initial results from several provinces plus Baghdad, suggested that the Sairoon Alliance, led by influential Shia Muslim cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, had won more than 70 seats, which, if confirmed, could give him considerable influence in forming the government.

'Defining moment': Iraqis vote in parliamentary elections

Iraqi people have voted in parliamentary elections, which are held earlier than their original 2022 schedule in response to the public demands for economic reforms.

Sunni Parliament speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi’s Taqaddum coalition won 38 seats.
The State of Law Alliance, headed by former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who led Iraq from 2006 to 2014, came third overall with 37.

Iraqi Shia political parties won fewer seats than in the last election in 2018, according to the results and local officials.

The Iraqi religious authority has, however, consistently retained a neutral position concerning various political groupings, a trend that observers say has done so much in the way of preserving national unity and integrity.

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Iraq