Shia cleric Sadr urges reinforcing parliament’s legislative, supervisory role
Muqtada al-Sadr.
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – Iraqi Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr has called for reinforcing the parliament’s supervisory and legislative role in a manner that helps improve the situation in Iraq.
Sadr made the remarks Monday during a meeting with parliament speaker Mohamed al-Halbousi and his two deputies Hassan Karim al-Kaabi and Beshir Khalil al-Hadded.
During the meeting, Sadr urged Halbousi and his two deputies to reinforce the parliament’s legislative and supervisory role and pass more laws in the near future to alleviate the suffering of the Iraqi people.
According to Sadr’s office, the meeting tackled as well the latest political developments in Iraq, particularly the formation of a new government to provide security and services for citizens and meet aspirations of the Iraqi people.
Al-Sadr’s Sairoon coalition won 54 parliamentary seats in the May 12 parliamentary polls, followed by an al-Hashd al-Shaabi-linked coalition (47 seats) and Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi’s Victory bloc (42 seats), according to the election commission.
The vote results, however, have aroused widespread fraud allegations.
Al-Sadr’s coalition did not win the majority needed to form a government alone but will play a primary role in selecting the next prime minister.
Al-Sadr said he hoped to establish a “technocrat” cabinet far removed from narrow sectarian biases.