From Maliki to Abadi: the challenge of being Iraq’s prime minister
This Brief reviews Abadi’s premiership so far and seeks to answer the following questions: How much has Abadi’s governance differed from—or resembled—Maliki’s? And has the transition from Maliki to Abadi led to any significant change in Iraq’s political dynamics? The Brief argues that, despite improvements in his style of governing, Abadi could not make a […]Harith Hasan Al-Qarawee writes in the Middle East Brief:
This Brief reviews Abadi’s premiership so far and seeks to answer the following questions: How much has Abadi’s governance differed from—or resembled—Maliki’s? And has the transition from Maliki to Abadi led to any significant change in Iraq’s political dynamics?
The Brief argues that, despite improvements in his style of governing, Abadi could not make a significant alteration regarding major political issues, especially those pertaining to relations with the Kurdish and the Sunni groups, constitutional reforms and political and security arrangements in the war against ISIS. The necessary conclusion is that Iraq’s main problems are systemic and related to the way the whole political system is structured.
A Shia prime minister like Abadi needs to command a broad constituency that is loyal to and supportive of him in order to make the concessions and compromises that a new political compact would require. Abadi, although armed with good intentions and the desire to make a difference, lacks such a constituency and, as a result, has not been able to make those changes.
