Talks about pan-nationalist coalition in Iraq sparks controversy: al-Sadr's approval? Feelers? Uncertainty?
Shafaq News/ The "State Administration" Coalition might not see the light without the approval of the Sadrist movement, sources said amid talks about a burgeoning agreement between main players in the Iraqi political arena to push forward the crippled cabinet formation.
"Recently, there has been a momentum to force in a coalition, not an alliance, in order to form a government. The government will be run jointly by the Coordination Framework, al-Azm, al-Siyada, the Kurdistan Democratic Party, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, and Babylon movement," a source told Shafaq News Agency.
"Nothing has materialized as things stand. Some parties have reservations. Some others have conditions they believe it should be discussed prior to proceeding with an official announcement of this coalition," the source added, "Some parties believe that the emerging coalition shall obtain at least a preliminary approval from the Sadrist movement since it might deem it a move against them."
"The State Administration Coalition is still a notion under construction," another source said, "there might be an agreement and an official announcement within less than 24 hours. The talks might also falter, especially if the Sadrist movement managed to exert pressure on its allies, al-Siyada and KDP."
A leading figure in the Coordination Framework, a consortium of mainly Iran-backed Shiite political forces, downplayed the "rumors" about forming the "State Administration" Coalition.
"They are merely leaks. Nothing has been official until the very moment," lawmaker A'ed al-Hilali said, "such leaks might be a political maneuver. It might also be an attempt to get some feelers from the Sadrist movement."
"Everybody is aware of the reverberations of such a move without a green light from the Sadrist movement," he elaborated.
Sabah Sobhi, a member of the KDP bloc in the Iraqi parliament, told Shafaq News Agency that the KDP leader, Masoud Barzani, and the President of the Kurdistan region, Nechirvan Barzani, keep a patent channel with the leader of the Sadrist movement, Muqtada al-Sadr.
The lawmaker said that the trio "Nechirvan Barzani/Mohammad al-Halboosi/Hadi al-Ameri" visit to al-Hannana, the headquarters of influential Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, is yet to be scheduled.
"Such a visit requires creating a favorable environment and potent card to play with," he continued, "the Coordination Framework has not shaped a clear and unified vision. Certain issues shall be discussed and settled inside the Coordination Framework before heading to al-Hannana."
