Firebrand Sh’ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr is said to form the next government in Iraq after the country’s top court cleared his victory in the October 2021 elections. This development is reported by Deutsche Welle. Here is an excerpt:

Iraq’s Supreme Court ratified the results of October’s parliamentary elections, it said in a statement on Monday. The ruling upholds the victory of the influential Sh’ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr.

The ruling comes after the court rejected legal challenges brought by Iran-backed former paramilitary Shiite factions.

The Hashed al-Shaabi alliance had contested its defeat in the polls, alleging fraud and demanding that the vote be corrected or canceled. The results of the election had been delayed for two months.

The court’s decision means that a new parliament can be formed and should be able to hold its inaugural session within two weeks.

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