Al-Maliki’s Return to Power: Why Iraq and the Region Could Face Another Dangerous Turn
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Fatima Saif
- . January 26, 2026
- . Update: January 26, 2026 12:48 pm
The move of al-Maliki back to the politics of Iraq is once again causing fears of sectarianism, corruption, and dependence on the region. As political intrigue cleared the way so that the ex-Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki could run again in his third term, there are a great number of Iraqis who fear the country might repeat the cycles of instability, and the emergence of extremism that took place in the country. The coming back of al-Malik is not only an issue of one leader regaining power but a good indication of serious failure in the politics of Iraq since 2003. His track record indicates that the comeback of al-Maliki might create a bad omen on the domestic balance and regional positions in Iraq.
Al-Maliki’s Return and Its Impact on Iraq
A revival of sectarian politics that characterized his previous reign could probably arise due to the coming back of al-Maliki. The policies of exclusion in his past terms isolated the Sunni groups and undermined the unity of the country. According to critics, his retention by al-Malik can once again place the loyalists in control over institutions compromising governance and accountability. His time-old corruption scandals that used to involve huge losses of government money are yet to be resolved, prompting some concern that the reinstance of al-Maliki would institutionalize the way of the kleptocrats.Regional wise, the resurgence of al-Maliki will put Iraq under the tight control of Iran at a time when its dominance is being threatened in other parts of the world. This would make Iraq have a difficult time in its relationship with the United States and Arab neighbours constraining the capacity of Baghdad to have an independent foreign policy. Finally, the resurgence of al-Maliki is an indication of the efforts by Iraq to get out of the political cycle which has failed the citizens of this country on more than one occasion.
