While ISIS still poses a military threat to the state and the Iraqi people, following repeated military successes against the terrorist organization, the confidence of the Iraqi security forces has improved, and the Supreme Court ruled that the elections could not be postponed further. The jubilation was not to last though, as in the weeks following the vote Iraqi and Iranian-backed Hashd al-Shaabi troops arrived to quell the independence movement. Transpiring from anti-government protests which initially focused on addressing poor living conditions, the protest movement demanded reform of the political system. The movement gained significant momentum when it was joined by the Sadrist movement, an Iraq Shia group, headed by the Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. Nouri al-Maliki heads the opposing State of Law coalition and currently holds the ceremonial position of vice-president.The Dawa Party has dominated Iraqi political sphere since 2003, with three successive prime ministers.

Source: Egypt Today May 07, 2018 15:40 UTC