Analysis: Sudani agenda faces rising political risks as elections approach

As Iraq's national elections approach, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani appears to be preparing for a campaign that would strengthen his mandate and give him a firmer political base from which to govern.

Sudani also faces a political paradox. As he runs on the strength of his economic record — including a slew of major energy sector deals and infrastructure development — the political groups that compose his Cabinet increasingly see the prime minister's success as a threat to their own election prospects.