Iraq’s January elections were eagerly awaited by Iraq’s majority Shia population, which won enough votes to dominate the democratically-elected parliament, but the timing proved unpopular with the once-dominant Sunnis, who feared they would not be adequately represented in the new government.

The largest Sunni political party decided not to participate because of continuing insecurity in the Sunni regions where the main rebel groups are based, resulting in a dramatic loss of influence for the once dominant group.