Iraq: Sadr seeks national decision on gov't

(MENAFN) The nationalist Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, whose al-Sa'iroon political coalition won most seats in the country's May 12 parliamentary elections, met on Sunday with Hadi al-Ameri, the second winner of the election to discuss the formation of a new government.

A statement by Sadr office said Sadr met with Ameri, head of al-Fath political Coalition, which represents Hashd Shaabi militias, and discussed "the developments of the political process and the results of 2018 parliamentary elections."

"The formation of the government must be a national decision and importantly, all the winning political blocs must participate," the statement said.

No single bloc won a majority in the May 12 vote, raising the prospect of weeks or even months of negotiations to agree on a government. On Saturday night al-Sadr met withPrime Minister Haider al-Abadi, whose bloc made a surprisingly poor showing in the election.
Al-Sadr, whose followers fought U.S. forces in Iraq after the 2003 invasion, won 54 of the chamber's 329 seats. Al-Abadi's "Victory" bloc took 42 and a coalition of government and Iranian-backed paramilitary forces came in second.

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