Iraq: Shiite Forces Try to Contain the Prime Minister

The majority al-Sadrite Iraqi National Alliance received a letter May 3 outlining the nine demands set during the April 26 meeting between Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr, Kurdish Regional Government President Massoud Barzani and Iraqi Sunni leaders in Arbil. The letter indicates that if the demands are not met in 15 days, there will be a vote of no confidence to remove Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki from the government.

Al-Sadr's move signals the formation of a coalition of opposition against al-Maliki following the premier's efforts to consolidate power and prevent further fracturing of the Shiite hegemony in Baghdad and of the fragile Shiite-Sunni-Kurdish power-sharing agreement. The coalition is tenuous because of competing interests among the groups, and al-Maliki will attempt to use these divisions to weaken the coalition. However, the combination of Iranian-backed Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds will force al-Maliki to respond to Iran's concerns.