Less than three months ago a power-sharing deal was struck by Iraqi politicians. 

The deal gave Nouri al-Maliki a second term as prime minister.

Maliki has been accused of taking over police and military forces and using security forces to resolve political disputes. Maliki’s cabinet has to propose legislation now and members of parliament no longer have the power to do so.

Even though al-Maliki, of the Sadrists party, became prime minister, the Iraqiyya bloc, headed by Ayad Allawi, won the March election. Neither candidate, however, secured enough parliament seats to rule alone. This led to eight months of horse-trading that ended with al Maliki as prime minister.

During the eight months, many agreements were stuck between the Sadrists and Iraqiyya. These deals would give both parties some power in how the country is run. Also, as part of the deal, Allawi will lead the national strategic policy council, an idea pushed by Vice-President Joe Biden.

Allawi leading the national strategic policy council is a way to ensure that Sunni voters, most who backed Iraqiyya, would not feel alienated under Maliki’s Shiite administration, according to the National.

Maliki and his allies worked to guarantee, though, that legislation will limit the council to not have any real decision-making authority, and instead an advisory role.

Allawi announced last Thursday that he would not lead the national strategic policy council. The announcement ended hope of unity.

"The prime minister and his people are sneaking around the arrangements we made,” Mohammad Jabouri, an Iraqiyya MP told the National. “They are interested only in achieving their personal goals, rather than running the country in the national interest. We need to sit and talk to Mr. al Maliki to understand why he is walking around the power-sharing agreement, and if he insists on doing it, all trust between the blocs will disappear and there will be real problems in parliament."

Discontent is also spreading inside the Sadrist movement. The Sadrist movement’s support was critical in giving Maliki the parliamentary majority needed as prime minister.

Hani Ashour, an Iraqiyya policy advisor, told the National that the bloc was considering pulling out of the coalition government and entering opposition.

If the Sadrists and Iraqiyya pull out of the government coalition, it would not collapse Maliki’s administration, but it would make it difficult for him to get a majority legislation approved by parliament. This would hamper his ability to get things done.

Eight Iraqiyya members withdrew from the bloc Monday, renouncing Allawi’s leadership. This decreased the number of seats he controls from 91 to 83. This left Maliki with more seats then Allawi.

The large number of civilian casualties from coalition operations has caused outrage among the population.

Civilians have joined the protests across the Arab world against power shortages, lack of jobs, poor basic services and corruption.

Many Iraqis are frustrated by the slow growth, eight years after the U.S. invaded. There is still little clean running water, no proper sewage system and national grid supplies only a few hours of power per day. Iraq would need to spend $77 billion to improve the sector by 2030, but has to large a projected deficit to do so.

Maliki responded to protestor demands by cutting his own pay, reducing electricity bills, buying more sugar for the ration program and diverting money from fighter jets to public food handouts.

Maliki gave his cabinet 100 days to respond to the protests. He asked them to find 280,000 new jobs and allow provincial governments to buy and distribute food rations directly instead of through the central government.

Many protests have taken place in provinces where people want to remove corrupt regional bosses. Maliki asked three governors to step down and suggested he may hold early provincial elections.

Shortly after the changes were implemented, protests decreased. Realistically, in 100 days Maliki will not be able to accomplish everything the protestors want, but imposed the deadline because of his delicate position as prime minister, according to Reuters.

The protests have put more pressure on Maliki and led to some distress in the coalition government.

 

 

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