ABSTRACT
Shi‘ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr’s movement in Iraq in 2014–2018 should be seen as part of a worldwide trend toward movements of the urban poor demanding transparency from entrenched and often plutocratic elected elites. In this regard it resembles transparency movements in Delhi, India, which focus on processes of audit and accountability, on “ethical publicity”. They resorted to street protests and even a parliament invasion. Their goal is to throw a spotlight on corrupt officials and demand prosecution, and to advocate improved services for the poor. Al-Sadr’s small Ahrar Party (Party of the Free) did well enough in parliamentary elections to give him a role in conventional politics. The rise of the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and Sham (ISIS) and the loss to Baghdad of the Sunni Arab provinces impelled al-Sadr to return to the political and paramilitary spheres. He did not only send his fighters against ISIS, however, he also roiled domestic politics with protests against corruption, the spoils system, and lack of services, ultimately provoking a significant split in parliament.
