{Nuri al-Maliki finally bowed to pressure within Iraq and beyond on Thursday and stepped down as prime minister, paving the way for a new coalition that world and regional powers hope can quash a Sunni Islamist insurgency that threatens Baghdad.}
Maliki ended eight years of often divisive, sectarian rule and endorsed fellow Shi’ite Haider al-Abadi in a televised speech during which he stood next to his successor and spoke of the grave threat from Sunni Islamic State militants who have taken over large areas of northern Iraq.
“I announce before you today, to ease the movement of the political process and the formation of the new government, the withdrawal of my candidacy in favour of brother Dr. Haider al-Abadi,” Maliki said.
Maliki’s decision was likely to please Iraq’s Sunni minority, which dominated Iraq under Saddam Hussein’s iron rule but was sidelined by Maliki, a relative unknown when he came to power in 2006 with U.S. backing.
Maliki had resisted months of pressure to step down from Sunnis, Kurds, some fellow Shi’ites, Shi’ite regional power Iran and the United States.
He had insisted on his right to form a new government based on the results of a parliamentary election in late April.
His stubborn insistence stirred concerns of a violent power struggle in Baghdad.
But in recent days, as his support was obviously crumbling, he told his military commanders to stay out of politics.
Agencies
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