Who is Muqtada al Sadr?

At the end of the movie, we see Muqtada al Sadr’s supporters storming the parliament. But who is Muqtada al Sadr? This question has been repeatedly asked.

 

Muqtada al Sadr is a Shiite politician. From 2004 to 2008, he and his followers fought against the US occupation and its allies in the Iraqi government. He is still one of the most important political figures in Iraq today. He is known for being unpredictable. Al Sadr has been part of the Iraqi regime for many years in various coalitions and functions. He is an adept populist.

 

Baghdad’s north-eastern district, which is mainly inhabited by Shiites, was renamed from “Saddam City” to “Sadr City” after 2003. Many of his supporters come from this district. His followers are mainly young, relatively poor, religious men who follow him almost blindly. They organize protests in the name of their leader, usually mobilized through social media.  

 

The film begins with the “October Revolution” – a spontaneous anti-sectarian and anti-government protest by primarily young people who did not accept any parties or other leaders. The protest led to the overturn of the government and early re-elections, which were held in October 2021 but boycotted by many. Voter turnout was at a record low of 41.05%, as published by the Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq. Various candidates or parties that emerged from the “October Revolution” were on the ballot and up for vote. However, the Shiite cleric Muqtada al Sadr and his supporters won the most seats in parliament. As a result, he was tasked with forming the government. 

 

Due to a power struggle within the iraqi parliament and regime, al Sadr failed to form a government in 2022. He withdrew from Iraqi politics and called for new elections to resolve the political crisis. Shortly after, his supporters stormed the tightly secured government quarter and entered parliament. FAl Sadr recalled his supporters and disappeared from the political stage, but his followers remained active. Some say that he is planning his return at the right time. He continues to be unpredictable, and it remains to be seen what political role al Sadr will play in future Iraq. 

After al-Sadr’s withdrawal from politics, the Coordination Framework, an umbrella bloc of Iraqi Shiite parties, took over and formed a new government in October 2022 with Mohammad Shia al-Sudani.