Sadrist Movement Explained

Sadrist Movement
Native Name:التيار الصدري
Leader:Muqtada al-Sadr
Headquarters:Najaf
Religion:Shi'a Islam
Wing1 Title:Militia formation
Wing1:Saraya al-Salam
National:Al-Ahrar Bloc
(2014–2018)
Alliance Towards Reforms (Saairun)(2018–2021)
Seats1 Title:Seats in the Council of Representatives of Iraq:
Seats3 Title:Seats in the local governorate councils:
Seats4 Title:Governors
Country:Iraq
Native Name Lang:ar

The Sadrist Movement (Arabic: التيار الصدري ) is an Iraqi Shi'a Islamic national movement and political party, led by Muqtada al-Sadr.

The Sadrist Movement ended as largest political party in the October 2021 Iraqi parliamentary election, with 73 seats in Parliament, but in June 2022, during the 2021–2022 Iraqi political crisis, Muqtada al-Sadr’s bloc resigned from parliament.

2009 governorate elections

During the 2009 Iraqi governorate elections Sadrists ran under the name Independent Free Movement.

Results

The list received 9.8% of the vote and 43 out of 440 seats, coming third overall to the State of Law Coalition and the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq.[1] [2] [3]

GovernoratePercentageSeats wonTotal seats
Anbar-029
Babil6.2%330
Baghdad9%5 57
Basra5%3 35
Dhi Qar14.1%731
Diyala3.1%029
Karbala6.8%4 27
Maysan14.6%7 27
Muthanna5.5%2 26
Najaf12.2%628
Nineveh-037
Qadisiyyah6.7%328
Saladin-0 28
Wasit6.0%328
Total:9.8%43440

2010 parliamentary election

During the 2010 Iraqi parliamentary election Sadrists were part of the National Iraqi Alliance.

In a press conference on 6 March 2010 ahead of the 2010 Iraqi parliamentary election, Muqtada al-Sadr called on all Iraqis to participate in the election and support those who seek the withdrawal of U.S. troops from the country. Al-Sadr warned that any interference by the United States will be unacceptable. Al-Sadr, who has thousands of staunch followers across Iraq has consistently opposed the presence of foreign forces and repeatedly called for an immediate end to the Iraq War.[4]

Results

GovernorateSeats wonTotal seats
Anbar-14
Babil516
Baghdad1268
Basra324
Dhi Qar418
Diyala213
Dohuk-10
Erbil014
Karbala210
Kirkuk012
Maysan3 10
Muthanna27
Najaf312
Nineveh031
Qādisiyyah211
Saladin012
Sulaymaniyah-17
Wasit311
Compensatory seats17
Minority seats-8
Total42325

Splinter factions

Over time, numerous factions in the Sadrist Movement disagreed with Muqtada al-Sadr over various issues and broke off, forming separate militias and parties:

Involvement in the Syrian civil war

In October 2012, various Iraqi religious sects joined the conflict in Syria on both sides. Shiites from Iraq, in Babil Governorate and Diyala Governorate, have traveled to Damascus from Tehran, or from the Shiite holy city of Najaf, Iraq, claiming to protect Sayyida Zeinab, an important Shiite shrine in Damascus.[7] Abu Mohamed, with the Sadrist trend, said he recently received an invitation from the Sadrists' leadership to discuss the shrine in Damascus. A senior Sadrist official and former member of Parliament, said that convoys of buses from Najaf, under the cover story of pilgrims, were carrying weapons and fighters to Damascus. Some of the pilgrims were members of Iran's elite Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.

However, later in 2017 following the Khan Shaykhun chemical attack in Syria, Muqtada al-Sadr called for Syria's president Bashar al-Assad to step down from power.[8] [9]

2014 parliamentary elections

The Sadrist Movement ended as second largest political party in the 30 April 2014 Iraqi parliamentary elections, with 7% of the votes and 34 seats in Parliament. The largest party in those elections was the State of Law Coalition, led by Nouri al-Maliki, which won 24% and 92 seats.

2018 parliamentary elections

The Sadrist Movement ended as largest party in the 12 May 2018 Iraqi parliamentary elections, with 14.38% of the votes and 54 seats in Parliament.

2021 parliamentary elections

The Sadrist Movement ended as largest political party in the 10 October 2021 Iraqi parliamentary elections, with 10% of the votes and 73 seats in Parliament. On 13 June 2022, during the 2021–2022 Iraqi political crisis, 74 MPs from Muqtada al-Sadr’s bloc resigned from parliament.[10]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Final Provincial Election Results. 19 February 2015. dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20111012021158/http://www.niqash.org/content.php?contentTypeID=75&id=2395&lang=0. 12 October 2011.
  2. http://www.uniraq.org/documents/ElectoralMaterial/IHEC_Preliminary%20Results_Governorate%20Council%20Elections_2009_EN.pdf Preliminary Results Governorate Elections
  3. Web site: MUSINGS ON IRAQ. Joel Wing. 24 August 2009. 19 February 2015.
  4. http://www.hamsayeh.net/hamsayehnet_iran-international%20news994.htm Iraqi Shia Leader Calls for US Withdrawal From Iraq
  5. Web site: Hashd Brigade Numbers Index . Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi . Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi . 31 October 2017 . 4 August 2018.
  6. Web site: Jaysh al-Mu'ammal . Jihad Intel . 4 August 2018.
  7. News: Iraqi Sects Join Battle in Syria On Both Sides. October 28, 2012. New York Times. GHAZI, YASIR . ARANGO, TIM . amp . A1.
  8. News: Sadr becomes first Iraqi Shi'ite leader to urge Assad to step down. Reuters. 9 April 2017.
  9. Web site: After Syria chemical attack, the powerful Iraqi Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr is calling for Assad to step down. Newsweek. 10 April 2017.
  10. Web site: 2022-06-13 . Iraqi leaders vow to move ahead after dozens quit parliament . 2022-06-13 . The Independent . en.