Sunni political blocs in Iraq are launching early preparations for April provincial council elections by forming new parties and alliances — but also pointing fingers at each other. This shows the depth of political conflict in the areas liberated from the Islamic State (IS).
More than a year after legislative elections, Sunni parties have failed to form a united bloc in the Iraqi parliament, though their political leaders boasted about working within the large National Axis Alliance. This alliance, however, became divided between the main Shiite blocs, Hadi al-Amiri’s Construction Bloc and the Sairoon Coalition led by Muqtada al-Sadr.