BAGHDAD (Dispatches) – Iraq’s most prominent Shia cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani insists on its state of “neutrality” concerning the makeup of the Arab country’s future government.
The clergy’s office announced his position, saying he did not support any particular political group or movement as far as “the government formation negotiations” were concerned.
The office, which is located in the holy city of Najaf, therefore, called any news or information to the contrary “completely baseless.”
A total of 329 seats were up for grabs in the October 10 elections and more than 3,240 candidates were running.
A count based on initial results from several provinces plus Baghdad, suggested that the Sairoon Alliance, led by influential Shia Muslim cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, had won more than 70 seats, which, if confirmed, could give him considerable influence in forming the government.
Sunni Parliament speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi’s Taqaddum coalition won 38 seats.
The State of Law Alliance, headed by former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who led Iraq from 2006 to 2014, came third overall with 37.
The Iraqi religious authority has, however, consistently retained a neutral position concerning various political groupings, a trend that observers say has done so much in the way of preserving national unity and integrity.