New political alliance unites Iraqi religious and secular parties
In a sudden development, the Sadrist movement led by Muqtada al-Sadr and the National Coalition led by Ayad Allawi announced the formation of a political alliance in the upcoming elections.
BAGHDAD — Amid the search for suitable alliances among political parties, the Sadrist movement surprised its popular base June 22 by announcing an agreement with the Al-Wataniya coalition (National Coalition) led by Ayad Allawi. The two parties will form a new political bilateral alliance by unifying political stances regarding pending issues, expediting the legislation of suspended laws and finding solutions to the country’s problems before the 2018 parliamentary elections.
The Sadrists traditionally have been led by activist Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, while Al-Wataniya has generally been seen as a secular party.
