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Significance
The supreme court deposed prominent Sunni leader Mohammed al-Halbousi in November 2023, during a long campaign against him by pro-Iranian Shia forces. His ally Shaalan al-Karim came out ahead in the latest vote, but failed to achieve a majority, amid brawling between rival blocs and alleged procedural violations by the Shia acting speaker.
Impacts
Ongoing legal troubles may further diminish Halbousi’s scope to make a comeback.
Support from the Gulf states will likely still ensure Halbousi retains some longer-term political role.
More Sunni politicians will look to Iran-backed militias rather than to their own leaders as sources of patronage and direction.
Keywords:
Iraq,
ME/NAF,
international relations,
politics,
social,
election,
government,
judicial,
opposition,
religion,
corruption,
regional
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2024
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