After 2003, when major political forces such as the Dawa Party, the Islamic Supreme Council, the National Congress led by Ahmed Chalabi, the National Accord Movement led by Iyad Allawi and the Islamic Party entered Iraq, the gap with the popular majority was wide. Most Iraqis were not familiar with the opposition figures, which was only normal following the long domination of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein’s regime that suppressed all forms of opposition at home.
These forces had to search for a “popular constituency.” At a time when Chalabi and Communist Party and Islamic Party leaders failed to find this constituency, Shiite Islamists fared better. In their electoral politics, they successfully used the heightened religiosity in Iraq and the popularity of the religious establishemnt (al-Hawza) in their favor. Those forces worked on emphasizing sectarian identities to turn into representatives of their communities. This was more a “communal” representation than a genuine representation of citizens.
