[AlAhram] Iraq’s factions are poised for a prolonged political stalemate ahead of forming a new government following indecisive parliamentary elections
| The elections were widely seen by many as a contest pitting the United States and its Arab allies against Iran. The results of the vote will deepen the polarisation and escalate the US-Iranian struggle for influence in Iraq. |
Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi suffered a stunning electoral loss to his key Shia rivals after his political bloc failed to achieve the majority of the votes in Iraq’s parliamentary elections this week.
Al-Abadi’s failure to form a new government is widely seen as a severe setback to the United States and its Sunni Arab allies, which had hoped the incumbent prime minister could rein in the Iran-backed Shia militias in Iraq and act as a bulwark against Tehran’s increasing influence in the country. |