Prime Minister Adil Abd al-Mahdi faces lots of obstacles that hamper the work of his cabinet, which is still incomplete, bringing to question whether some factions in Iraq could soon seek to replace him.
Time
Time is not in Abd al-Mahdi’s favor, as problems are accumulating and more crises emerge. Protests are renewed against poor services in Iraq's central and southern provinces.
The security issue comes at the top again, as ISIS elements intensify efforts and activities, especially at borders between Iraq and Syria.
Security troops forcibly disperse protests by residents from Babylon province trying to voice their demands for enhanced services. The occurrence of the similar situations in several provinces, especially the southern ones, indicates the cabinet’s failure.
US sanctions
As the US sanctions on Iran enter a new phase of restriction, more pressure is being made on Abd al-Mahdi’s cabinet to limit the impact of those sanctions on the Iraqi economy.
Political conflicts
In addition to the direct economic impact of the sanctions, the issue is subject to political conflicts, especially since a large number of Iraqi politicians are loyal to Iran and pressure the government in Baghdad not to take Washington's side.
Political crisis
Iraqi sources indicate that Abd al-Mahdi could leave office, either by resignation or dismissal, if more pressure were made, hampering his ability to complete the cabinet.
This scenario would engage Iraq in a political crisis, as reaching an agreement on whoever succeeds Abd al-Mahdi would be difficult.
Alternative to Abd al-Mahdi
Some leaks indicated efforts in search for an alternative for the prime minister, as the current one has not fulfilled the demands of all the blocs.
Meanwhile, the Kurds are keeping themselves away from the center after taking their requirements, in addition to the oil agreement which states providing the central government with 250,000 barrels of oil daily. However, the government did not receive any since the agreement. Some Kurdish politicians said that the Kurdistan Region has debts to some countries totaling about 300 million dinars.
Red lines
The previous governments tried to ease the obstacles by attempting to impose decisions that were not approved by some components, which resulted in the emergence of terrorist groups. Now, some politicians have fears of a repetition of the same scenario in case the big blocs do not agree with other components.