This study deals with an in-depth analysis of the Iraqi political landscape in late 2009, with a particular focus on the implications of the upcoming provincial elections and their impact on the upcoming national elections in 2010. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki emerges as a "focal point" that dominates Iraqi politics, understanding the positions and alliances of other parties in light of their relationship to him.

The authors point to Maliki's unexpected rise after he was seen as a weak figure. The study also reviews the importance of Sunni parties such as the Iraqi Islamic Party and the National Project Gathering, and describes the ongoing tensions between the Baghdad government and the Kurdistan region over the disputed areas, considering that the issue of a final solution to these areas may remain postponed.