Iraqis in Sadr City reacted on Wednesday to Iraq's top court ruling that it does not have the legal right to dissolve parliament.
The ruling by the Supreme Federal Court states the court does not have the authority under Iraq's constitution to dissolve the legislature, which was a key demand by influential Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.
Amer Alwan, a resident of Sadr City, the Baghdad suburb where al-Sadr's followers are highly concentrated, said the "court's decision is unfair."
The much-anticipated decision that raises the stakes in the country's unprecedented 11-month political crisis.
"Today, we were surprised by the federal court's decision not to dissolve the Iraqi parliament, which was a popular demand," said Abu Hayder, another Sadr City resident.
Al-Sadr's bloc won most votes in parliamentary elections last October but he has been unable to form a majority government.
His followers stormed the parliament in late July to prevent their rivals from Iran-backed Shiite groups from forming the government.
With ensuing rallies, clashes with security forces, counter-rallies and a sit-in outside parliament, the government formation process has stalled.
Al-Sadr has now been calling for the dissolution of parliament and early elections and has been in a power struggle with his Iran-backed rivals since the vote.
The decision by the court, which had delayed ruling on al-Sadr's demands amid concerns over more unrest, effectively rejects al-Sadr's demand and further deepens the stalemate between the cleric and his rivals.
It puts the onus on Iraq's lawmakers, who could potentially assemble and dissolve the legislature, something al-Sadr rejects.
After the ruling, Iraqi security forces closed the gates to the heavily fortified Green Zone in Baghdad - the seat of the government and the center stage for Iraq's political crisis - anticipating a reaction from al-Sadr's followers.
Last week, at least 30 people died in clashes over two days between al-Sadr's loyalists and security forces, bringing Iraq to the brink of street warfare.
The hostilities came to a halt when al-Sadr ordered his supporters to withdraw.
The court’s ruling could bring further destabilize the country as it leaves al-Sadr no choice but to again call on his supporters to take to the streets to achieve his political demands.