Iraq's new prime minister-designate Mohammed Shia al-Sudani hails from the Shiite Muslim political class that has been in power for almost two decades.

But, on top of the challenge of forming a government for the crisis-hit country, he must now win the backing of fiercely rival Shiite factions.

More than a year after general elections left Iraq in political paralysis, 52-year-old Sudani was nominated as prime minister by new President Abdul Latif Rashid, to succeed Mustafa al-Kadhemi, in power since 2020.

Sudani, an influential former lawmaker, governor and minister, has the backing of the influential pro-Iran factions of the Coordination Framework.

But he will face a major task ahead to earn the support of their rivals, the millions of diehard supporters of fiery cleric Moqtada Sadr.

Sudani, born in 1970, was just a nine-year-old boy when his father was executed for his opposition to Saddam Hussein.

After the US-led invasion in 2003, Sudani rose to prominence within the Shiite political leadership.

With a degree in agricultural science, he moved through the ranks of the civil service, becoming governor of Maysan, the oil-rich province bordering Iran.

In 2010, he launched his political career in the capital Baghdad, rising within the government of prime minister Nuri al-Maliki, becoming the minister of human rights, then social affairs, and then of industry.

- 'Established political elite' -

Today, it is with the key backing of Maliki and the pro-Tehran Coordination Framework that Sudani must forge a government.

Dressed in dark business suits, and sporting a bushy moustache with neatly close-cropped hair, the father-of-five set out on the campaign trail after the Coordination Framework put forward his name as candidate in July.

As he sought to win over opposition lawmakers, he has presented -- as his predecessors did -- ambitious programmes promising to tackle endemic corruption and rebuild crumbling infrastructure left in ruins by years of war.

When his name was floated in 2019 as a potential candidate for the premiership amid mass anti-government street protests denouncing the political elite, Sudani made little headway.

"He doesn't have a bad history, and there is no huge corruption accusations against him," said Sajad Jiyad, a researcher at the think tank Century International.

"But the fact that he is not known as a significant reformer, the fact that he is part of the established political elite, doesn't give confidence that he could be any different from them."

When he was named in July by the pro-Tehran Coordination Framework, furious Sadr supporters breached the Green Zone and stormed parliament in protest.

For Sadr, Sudani is seen as being "close" to his longtime foe Maliki, said Jiyad.

"For Sadrists, that is a problem," he added. "They believe he (Sudani) is out to defeat the Sadrists politically... that if he gets the chance, he will crush the Sadrists."

- 'Potential popularity' -

Sudani, having cut his teeth in the State of Law party of Maliki, founded his own party in 2021, Al-Furatain, with a total of three lawmakers in parliament.

"He's a statesman," said Bashar al-Saidi, the deputy secretary-general of his party. "He masters ministerial work... and knows how to manage political and administrative affairs."

Among his priorities will be to "pass a budget", "reduce poverty and unemployment", and restore public services including health and electricity, said Saidi.

Also on his to-do list will be organising fresh elections.

Sudani, potentially to head off demands already made by Sadr for early elections, has said that a new vote should be held "within a year and a half". He has called the Sadrists a "great popular and patriotic" movement.

Hamzeh Hadad, a visiting fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations think tank, spoke of his "potential popularity" with the public.

"He already has good relations with political parties across the spectrum, which is why initial calls against his candidacy were not particularly personal, but the circumstance of being the Coordination Framework's nominee," Hadad said.

Like Kadhemi, his predecessor as premier, Sudani represents "the next generation of Iraqi politicians" who came to power after the toppling to Saddam.

And, as premier with the backing of the Coordination Framework's nominee, he will "be more empowered in office" than his two predecessors, viewed by some as "compromise candidates", Hadad added.

From snap polls to new president: Iraq's year of turmoil
Baghdad (AFP) Oct 13, 2022 - After trying to form a new government since elections last year, Iraq on Thursday succeeded in electing a new president.

Here is a timeline of 12 months of political turmoil which has periodically spilled over onto the streets.

- October 2021: Snap polls -

On October 10, 2021, Iraq holds early parliamentary elections aimed at defusing youth-led protests that erupted in late 2019 over corruption and crumbling public services.

The political movement of the powerful Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr, which was already the biggest in parliament and had campaigned on a nationalist, anti-corruption agenda, increases its tally of seats, despite a high abstention rate.

His rivals in the pro-Iranian Fatah Alliance, the political arm of the former paramilitary alliance Hashed al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilisation Forces), suffer sharp losses. They reject the results as fraud.

- November 2021: attempt to kill PM -

Weeks of tensions follow.

Hashed al-Shaabi supporters stage a sit-in at an entrance to Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone, home to government buildings and foreign embassies.

On November 5, one demonstrator is shot dead in clashes between security forces and several hundred supporters of pro-Iran groups.

On the night of November 6, outgoing Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi escapes unharmed in an assassination attempt at his Green Zone residence.

No group claims responsibility for the attack.

- Political wrangling -

Amid the protests, Iraq's political parties try to form a government.

The main Shiite parties traditionally form a coalition, irrespective of how many parliamentary seats each has won.

But Sadr infuriates his Shiite rivals by insisting on trying to form a "majority government" with his movement naming the prime minister with the support of Sunni Muslim and Kurdish allies.

On November 30, the final election results confirm the Sadrists' victory, with the bloc winning 73 out of 329 parliamentary seats, compared with 17 for the Fatah alliance, down from 48 previously.

- January 2022: Stormy first session -

On January 9, 2022, the new parliament re-elects Sunni Muslim speaker Mohammed al-Halbussi, in a stormy first session.

The vote is boycotted by the pro-Iran Coordination Framework, which draws together the Fatah alliance and lawmakers from the party of Sadr's longtime foe, former prime minister Nuri al-Maliki.

- Feb-March 2022: No agreement on president -

Parliament holds three failed attempts to elect a new Iraqi president between February 7 and March 30.

The largely ceremonial role traditionally goes to a member of Iraq's Kurdish minority.

The president's election usually paves the way for the designation of a prime minister and the formation of a new government.

- June 2022: Pro-Sadr MPs resign -

On June 10, all 73 pro-Sadr MPs resign in order to pressure their rivals to fast-track the formation of a government.

Their seats go to the candidates who came second, making the pro-Iran bloc the biggest in parliament.

- July 2022: unrest after PM nominated -

On July 25, the pro-Iran Coordination Framework nominates former minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, 52, as prime minister.

Outraged Sadr supporters breach the Green Zone on July 27 and stage a brief sit-in in parliament.

Three days later, they return in their thousands and vow to stay "until further notice".

On August 12, Coordination Framework supporters begin their own sit-in near the Green Zone, calling for the swift formation of a new government.

- August 2022: Sadr quits politics -

On August 29 Sadr announces his "definitive retirement" from politics and the closure of "all the institutions" linked to his Sadrist movement.

Thousands of his supporters storm the government palace inside the Green Zone.

At least 30 Sadr supporters are shot dead in 24 hours in fighting with rival Shiite factions and a national curfew is decreed. They swiftly withdraw after Sadr calls on them to do so.

- October 13: New president elected -

Abdul Latif Rashid, a 78-year-old Kurdish former water resources minister, is elected president by parliament, replacing the incumbent Barham Saleh.

The election of Rashid, seen as a compromise candidate, sparks hope of an end to a year of political gridlock.

His first task was nominating Sudani as prime minister, who will now attempt to form a new government.

Related Links
Democracy in the 21st century at TerraDaily.com

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