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Iraq's parliament has been stuck in political deadlock for months following October's general election. 

Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr - who clinched the largest share of seats in the election - failed to form a government despite joining a triple alliance with Sunni blocs and Kurdish groups. 

So instead, to the surprise of many hawk-eyed political analysts, the maverick cleric ordered a mass resignation among his supporters - throwing Iraqi politics further into disarray. 

On this week's episode of °®Âþµº Voice looks at why the Sadrists resigned and what this means for the fate of Iraq. The episode examines the current players in Iraqi political life as well as the system itself, to try and understand what happened recently in Iraq and the longer structural forces that produced the situation today. 

We speak to Hamzeh Hadad (), visiting fellow at the European Council of Foreign Relations (), Yesar Al-Maleki (), non-resident scholar at the Middle East Institute () and also a Gulf analyst with the Middle East Economic Survey (), and Zeinab Shuker (),professor at Sam Houston State University who specialises in the sociology and political economy of Iraq. 

This podcast is written and produced by Rosie McCabe () and Hugo Goodridge (). Theme music by Omar al-Fil (). 

Other music by Blue Dot Sessions.

To get in touch with the producers, follow then tweet us at or email hugo.goodridge@alaraby.co.uk