RS21968
Iraq: Elections, Constitution, and Government
January 26, 2007

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U.S. Department of State

Summary:

Elections in 2005 for a transition government (January 30, 2005), a permanent constitution (October 15), and a permanent (four year) government (December 15) produced a Shiite-led government that many Sunnis view as biased. The December 6, 2006, Iraq Study Group report recommends a number of steps to accelerate national reconciliation. President Bush's new Iraq initiative, announced January 10, 2006, requires promised cooperation from the Iraqi government to act against Shiite armed elements participating in sectarian violence. (See CRS Report RL31339, Iraq: PostSaddam Governance and Security, by Kenneth Katzman.)