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Influential cleric Moqtada al-Sadr has broken his prolonged silence to publicly endorse Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s anti-corruption campaign, signaling a potential turning point in Iraq’s political landscape. This public backing raises the prospect of a direct confrontation with the ruling Coordination Framework, shifting the rivalry between the two sides from electoral politics and maneuvering to open conflict.

The initial response came from former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, leader of the State of Law Coalition, who defended the Framework as a successful political project. His remarks are widely seen as an effort to mitigate the growing pressure on the Shiite alliance, which has various ties to Iran. These developments occur amidst signs of increasing divisions within the Framework itself, which emerged as an alternative to the dominant Shiite alliances post-2021 elections.

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proven its success

Following the 2021 elections, al-Sadr attempted to form a "national majority government" with the Kurdistan Democratic Party and a Sunni alliance. However, this effort failed due to constitutional hurdles that prolonged Iraq’s political deadlock. In the summer of 2022, al-Sadr withdrew his lawmakers from parliament and announced his departure from political life, stating his refusal to "participate with the corrupt in any form" and urging supporters to maintain their organizations for a future opportunity.

Al-Zaidi’s anti-corruption campaign has significantly altered the political equation, peaking with the arrest of 21 political and parliamentary figures under the operation "Dawn Strike." The investigation by Judge Diaa Jaafar, revealing that embezzled funds may have financed election campaigns, has cast doubt on the integrity of recent elections and the influence of political money. Observers believe these events provide al-Sadr with political leverage, aligning with his post-parliamentary stance against a corrupt system.

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refused to participate with the corrupt in any form