On the night of Aug. 14, former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki announced that he was backing down from his demand for a third term and that he recognized the political settlement that led to Haider al-Abadi being charged with the formation of a government. With this announcement, Abadi was faced with a number of steps to arrange his government's papers, including the leadership of delicate balances, whether within his Islamic Dawa Party — at the level of the National Alliance that comprises a group of Shiite forces — or at the level of the Iraqi political blocs.

Maliki announced late Thursday night that he was dropping the lawsuit he had filed a few days earlier against President Fouad Massoum, on charges of violating the constitution for assigning Abadi to form a government.

Maliki's statement that he was stepping down came as a surprise to many. Sources from within the Islamic Dawa Party, which Maliki heads, told Al-Monitor, "A number of members of the [Dawa] Party's Leadership Committee, which comprises figures such as Abdel Halim al-Zuhairi, Ali Deeb, Hassan Sinead and others, met with Maliki the same day [Aug. 14] and informed him that it was necessary he take the decision to step down."

The sources told Al-Monitor, "The meeting was held on Thursday, one day before the expected Friday sermon from supreme Shiite cleric Ali al-Sistani. Dawa Party leaders had received assurances that the sermon may include strongly-worded rhetoric against Maliki, putting him in a difficult position with the masses."