Following weeks of debate, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has finally formed his government. However, Abadi's government has yet to overcome tough challenges, such as finalizing Cabinet appointments. Abadi still hasn't chosen a minister of defense or interior, the two most delicate appointments at this stage.

Yet, the most dangerous test for Abadi's government remains ahead: maintaining the fragile national consensus platform. To do this, Abadi must effectively apply strategies to rebuild political partnerships and uproot raging social crises, as well as implement a new framework to achieve progress in the chaotic security file.

The evening of Sept. 8 was tough for Iraq. People remained glued to their television sets all night, waiting for Abadi to announce his Cabinet, the ministerial plan and the social covenant. In fact, Abadi managed to meet the constitutional deadline for these actions, despite the tensions and disputes that arose during a parliamentary session that continued late in the evening.

Abadi's governmental program and political agreement passed through the voting blocs. This agreement, which proposed solutions to several problems brought forth by the Sunnis and Kurds, addressed the following issues: settling the program of de-Baathification by referring it to the judiciary and working on the amnesty law, and the need to bring balance to governmental institutions and expand the circle of political participation.