Iraqi PM-designate Mohammed Allawi’s candidacy ended on Sunday, when he announced he is withdrawing from consideration after being unable to form a government in the face of political opposition.
Allawi’s chances of forming a government collapsed over the weekend with an announced deal between opposition blocs and the Kurds. This precluded getting enough votes to form a government, and rather than wait, Allawi has chosen to back away, leaving the president to find another candidate.
Finding a candidate who is both palatable to a political majority and to mass anti-government protest movements is a tall order. The only reason anyone thought Allawi could win was because of the Sadrist bloc backing him.
This could end up being a big blow for Sadr, who committed heavily to Allawi’s interim government, cost himself a lot of support from the protest movement, and ended up with no government at all.
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