Evaluation of successive Iraqi governments after 2003

Abstract

Initiating the evaluation of the performance and achievements of any government in a country facing numerous internal crises, inconsistencies in its foreign policies, and a complex political system, such as post-2003 Iraq, presents a challenging task. The Iraqi political system that emerged after 2003 saw significant developments, defining its institutions within a specific framework blending parliamentary, federal, and decentralized elements since 2005. However, it witnessed a trajectory of disappointments for the Iraqi people due to the adoption of patronage and deals in managing the political process, illustrating the weakness in the performance of specific governments, notably those under the State of Law Coalition formed by the Islamic Dawa Party and other coexisting political forces. Successive governments, led by former Prime Ministers Ibrahim al-Jaafari (2005-2006), Nouri al-Maliki (2006-2010), Haider al-Abadi, Adil Abdul-Mahdi, and Mustafa al-Kadhimi, grappled with an inability to fulfill their promised agendas, culminating in crises as each administration concluded, compounding the existing challenges. This reality contradicts the true objectives of the political process in Iraq, aiming to achieve genuine representation of the Iraqi people and form governments that genuinely reflect and serve them.