What Happened: Saeroon, a parliamentary bloc allied with populist Iraqi Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr, will move into the opposition until the government meets the demands of ongoing anti-government protests, Reuters reported Oct. 26. At least 69 protesters died in violent clashes with security forces across Iraq over the weekend after the government deployed counterterrorism forces in Baghdad to crack down on anti-government unrest.
Why It Matters: Saeroon’s and al-Sadr’s decision to go into opposition further raises pressure on the government of Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi to find a way to quiet ongoing unrest. Saeroon is Iraq’s largest parliamentary bloc, and it holds significant sway over the government’s decisions. However, Abdul-Mahdi’s decision to deploy counterterrorism forces suggests that he is increasingly willing to violently crack down on the protests instead of resigning.
Background: Al-Sadr has gained much of his political power by demanding and championing reforms, but now faces criticism from protesters due to greater involvement in the Iraqi government through the Saeroon bloc.
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