Former Iraq PM Maliki could heavily influence election despite troubled past

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  Published in Politics and Government on Wednesday, November 5th 2025 at 6:00 GMT by The Straits Times

Former Iraqi prime minister Nouri Maliki, who left office in 2014 after a five‑year premiership, remains a towering figure in the country’s political landscape. In a Straits Times profile that ran ahead of the 2018 parliamentary elections, journalists laid out how the ex‑leader’s enduring influence could shape the outcome of a vote that many Iraqis saw as a crucial test of democracy and stability.

Maliki’s time in power was defined by a strong‑hand approach to governance and a reliance on a tightly knit network of allies, many of whom came from the Shiite‑majority, the group that had long dominated Iraqi politics. He was a key architect of the post‑2003 reconstruction effort, but his premiership was also marred by accusations of corruption, nepotism, and the suppression of political dissent. The Guardian, in a 2015 exposé, described him as “the most powerful man in Iraq after the fall of Saddam Hussein,” while the International Crisis Group in 2014 called his administration “a paragon of sectarian patronage.” These critiques were echoed in the Straits Times piece, which highlighted the long‑lasting repercussions of his tenure.

A central point of the article was that Maliki’s political machinery was still very much active, even though he was no longer in the cabinet. He retained control over the Islamic Dawa Party—an organization that had been the backbone of Iraq’s post‑Saddam political order. The Straits Times article linked to the Dawa Party’s own website, which explained that the party had over 3 million members and operated a nationwide network of community offices. According to the party’s own profile, it positions itself as a “unifying force for the Iraqi Shiite community,” but critics argue that it remains a vehicle for Maliki’s personal agenda.

The piece also explored how Maliki’s influence might be exercised through the “Shiite coalition,” a loose grouping of parties that had been pivotal in the 2018 election. The coalition had historically included not only the Dawa Party but also smaller groups like the Al‑Mustaqbal and the Democratic Unionists, all of whom were said to share a pragmatic approach to power‑sharing. The Straits Times article linked to a BBC report that described the coalition as “the most significant political force in the country,” and noted that it was expected to secure a majority of the 325 parliamentary seats.

The article further examined the electoral reforms introduced by the new Iraqi government in 2015 and 2016. These reforms, aimed at curbing vote‑buying and increasing transparency, included a new electronic voting system and stricter regulations on campaign financing. However, the Straits Times writers warned that the reforms “were unlikely to curb the entrenched patronage networks that underpin Iraqi politics.” They cited an interview with a former election commissioner who stated that “the system is designed to be more efficient, but the underlying political culture is unchanged.”

Maliki’s personal role in the upcoming elections was a recurring theme. The Straits Times article reported that former intelligence chief, Khaled al‑Khateeb, was rumored to be acting as a de‑facto adviser to the Dawa Party, and that the party’s campaign was allegedly orchestrated by Maliki’s aides. While the government denied any direct involvement, the profile quoted an unnamed security analyst who said, “In Iraqi politics, a former prime minister is never truly out of the game.”

The Straits Times also contextualized the elections within Iraq’s broader sectarian and geopolitical environment. It noted that the election was not just a domestic affair; the United States, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates were all watching closely, given their strategic interests in the region. The article linked to a Washington Post analysis that highlighted how Iran’s influence on the Shiite bloc and the United States’ support for a more “balanced” coalition were key factors shaping the electoral narrative.

In conclusion, the Straits Times article painted a picture of a country where history and politics are inextricably intertwined. Even though Nouri Maliki no longer holds a formal position, his network of allies, his influence over the Shiite coalition, and the structures he helped build continue to shape the political calculus. The 2018 parliamentary elections were therefore framed not merely as a democratic exercise but as a contest that would determine whether Iraq’s future would be shaped by the old guard or by a new generation of leaders willing to break free from entrenched patronage.