Iraq's main Shia coalition gives conditional backing to rival al-Sadr's snap elections call

BAGHDAD (AA) – Following rival Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr’s call, the Coordination Framework coalition has voiced support for any constitutional path to address Iraq’s political crisis, including early elections.

However, the coalition wants a government to first be formed under Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, its nominee for the post of prime minister, which will make the necessary preparations for early polls, Iraq’s Shafaq News agency reported.

The coalition, a collection of Iran-back groups, held an emergency meeting on Thursday, a day after al-Sadr called for the dissolution of parliament and early elections, demands that could prolong a deadlock that has left Iraq without an elected government since last October.

Al-Sadr has previously rejected the coalition’s proposal for al-Sudani to replace Mustafa al-Kadhimi as the prime minister.

His supporters stormed Baghdad’s government zone and broke into parliament twice last week, sparking calls from various political blocs for al-Sadr and the Coordination Framework to defuse escalating tensions.

Hadi al-Amiri, head of the Fatah Alliance, will represent the Coordination Framework in talks with al-Sadr to reach a possible compromise, the report said.

​​​​​​​* Ikram Imane Kouachi in Ankara contributed to this report