August 8th, 2008 by Amanda

Iraqi provincial elections once scheduled for October have now been postponed without a definitive date, which according to Eric Martin at American Footprints, “represent[s] the larger, as yet unreconciled, political conflicts” within Iraqi leadership.

The Washington Post states that “the elections are especially vital to Iraq’s disenfranchised Sunnis, who boycotted the last provincial elections in 2005.”  Marc Lynch at Abu Aardvark agrees, saying that their “anger …is already palpable”.

The consensus appears to be that security may destabilize if Sunnis who led the Awakening movement feel marginalized from power. As Dr. Irak at Abu Muqawama puts it, “provincial elections are needed to allow emerging Sunni elites … a chance to gain a seat at the table and make a legitimate claim to political power and the patronage resources that flow from that power.”

The sentiment is echoed by Shawn Brimly at Democracy Arsenal,who writes that “the so-called Awakening Councils along with the Sons of Iraq, helped bring the some semblance of security to their communities, and the elections were seen as an opportunity for them to transition from local political and security organizations into the mainstream of Iraqi political leadership. With these elections now in doubt, it is unclear how these groups will react to the IIP and the Maliki government.”

Posted in Elections, Iraq, Sectarianism |