• Thousands of Moqtada al-Sadr loyalists take over Iraqi parliament for second time in a week.
• Sadrist official: We’re staying until our demands are met. And we have many demands.
• The sit-in could prolong political deadlock or plunge Iraq into fresh violence.

On Sunday, Moqtada al-supporters Sadr’s set up tents and prepared for an all-day sit-in at the Iraqi parliament; a move that might prolong the political impasse or spark new violence in the nation.

As his challengers, the majority of whom are sympathetic to Iran, attempt to form a government; thousands of the cleric’s supporters poured into Baghdad’s guarded Green Zone on Saturday; taking control of the vacant parliament building for a second time in a week.

“We’re here until we get what we want. We also have a lot of requests “Reuters informed by a member; of Sadr’s political team over the phone, who spoke to them on the condition of anonymity; since he isn’t authorised to speak to the media.

According to the Sadrist official, Sadr’s social-political Sadrist Movement is calling for the dissolution of parliament; the holding of fresh elections, and the replacement of federal judges.

The Sadrist Movement, which comprises around a quarter of the 329 members of parliament; won the top spot in an election held in October.

With the exception of former prime minister Nouri al-Maliki, who is Sadr’s fiercest foe; Iran-aligned parties suffered significant electoral setbacks.

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However, due to just enough parliamentary opposition and federal court orders; Sadr was unable to create a government free of those parties; and was instead denied the president and prime minister of his choice.

In response to public outcry, he removed his politicians from the legislature, and since then; he has incited street demonstrations among his sizable, primarily underprivileged fan base.

Iraq is currently experiencing its worst crisis in years. Iraqi soldiers, a US-led coalition; and Iranian military assistance helped them defeat Daesh in 2017, which had taken control of a third of Iraq.

After Saddam Hussein overthrown in a US-led invasion in 2003, Iraqis who were suffering from a lack of employment; and services came to the streets to demand an end to corruption, fresh elections; and the ouster of all ruling parties.

Numerous protestors were shot by government authorities; and militia members.

Sadr is still riding the tide of public resistance to his Iran-backed competitors; claiming that they are corrupt and work for Tehran rather than Baghdad.

However, the erratic cleric still controls a sizable portion of the government, and his Sadrist Movement; has long been in charge of some of the most dishonest and incompetent government agencies.

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