Iraq’s political future in limbo as factions vie for power

Political factions in Iraq have been maneuvering since the parliamentary election more than a month ago to form alliances that will shape the next Government. The November election didn’t produce a bloc with a decisive majority, opening the door to a prolonged period of negotiations.The Government that eventually emerges will be inheriting a security situation that has stabilized in recent years, but it will also face a fragmented parliament, growing political influence by armed factions, a fragile economy, and often conflicting international and regional pressures, including the future of Iran-backed armed groups. Uncertain prospects. Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani’s party took the largest number of seats in the election.

Al-Sudani positioned himself in his first term as a pragmatist focused on improving public services and managed to keep Iraq on the sidelines of regional conflicts. While his party is nominally part of the Coordination Framework, a coalition of Iran-backed Shiite parties that became the largest parliamentary bloc, observers say it’s unlikely that the Coordination Framework will support al-Sudani’s reelection bid.“The choice for prime minister has to be someone the Framework believes they can control and doesn’t have his own political ambitions,” said Sajad Jiyad, an Iraqi political analyst and fellow at The Century Foundation think tank.