ADAdel Abdul Mahdi resigned as prime minister in November after the country’s leading Shiite cleric withdrew his support. Abdul Mahdi has been serving as a caretaker prime minister since his resignation. Since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion removed Saddam Hussein from power, major decisions have required consensus from Shiite, Sunni and Kurdish lawmakers. In practice, they often need the green light from major power brokers such as Iran, as well as powerful Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, who also controls militia factions and the largest parliamentary bloc. The new prime minister will face steep challenges, including how to handle the thorny issue of a potential U.S. military drawdown.

Source: Washington Post February 01, 2020 18:17 UTC