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Bobby Ghosh

Coronavirus Just Made Iraq’s Political Crisis Worse

Early elections remain the best prescription for getting the country back on track.

Just what Iraq didn’t need. — Just what Iraq didn’t need.
Photographer: Zaid Al-Obeidi/AFP via Getty Images

By

March 4, 2020, 4:59 AM UTC

A month ago, when Mohammed Tawfik Allawi was nominated to the prime ministership of Iraq, I predicted he wouldn’t last long. Turns out, I was wildly optimistic.

After four weeks of flailing efforts to form a cabinet, culminating in two failed attempts to get parliament to approve his choices, Allawi has thrown in the towel. And Adel Abdul Mahdi, who had been caretaker prime minister since his resignation in November, has announced he will stay on, but will not discharge most official duties, including steering cabinet meetings.