On the eve of the local elections, the Iraqiyya bloc — led by former prime minister Ayad Allawi — seeks to make political gains from the Sunni protests in Iraq.

This time, it opted to exert pressure on the Maliki government by disrupting cabinet meetings. The Iraqiyya bloc recently announced that “it has frozen its participation in the government’s weekly meetings until the Sunni demonstrators’ demands are met.”

The Iraqiyya bloc took charge of eight ministries in formation of the government, namely the Ministries of Finance, Electricity, Industries and Minerals, Science and Technology, Agriculture, Education, Communication and the Ministry of State for Provincial Affairs, in addition to the post of deputy prime minister for Services Affairs. 

Nevertheless, this maneuver is not new. It was previously used by the Iraqiyya bloc during its crises with Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. In 2011, they boycotted cabinet meetings in protest of Allawi not being appointed head of a consultative council with specific powers in legislation and oversight. Allawi’s ministers returned to government meetings, although Maliki didn't meet their demands.