The Tides of Power Shift Away from Iraq's Outgoing Premier

Over the past 24 hours, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has watched the vast majority of Iraq's Shiite leadership announce its support for the newly appointed prime minister-elect, former Deputy Speaker of Parliament Haider al-Abadi. Al-Abadi is a senior leader and member of parliament in Iraq's Shiite Islamist Hizb al-Dawah party as well as al-Maliki's own State of Law coalition. Along with the major Kurdish and Sunni Arab political figures, Iraq's Shiite community in particular has come out strongly against al-Maliki's bid for a third term as prime minister, leaving him with a rapidly dwindling support base.