On January 31st 2009, Iraqis held their second provincial elections since the fall of the Baathist regime in 2003. The results signaled widespread support for secular and nationalist forces and serious electoral losses for the religious federalist parties, who had been accused of mass corruption and mismanagement. Significantly, Sunni Arabs for the first time actively participated in the elections, thus reversing the disproportionate results of their boycott in 2005.
The 2009 provincial elections were a major boost for Prime Minister Nouri Maliki, whose Rule of Law Coalition running on a nationalist platform, won majorities in most provinces which greatly stenghtened his position vis-à-vis his Shiite rivals. The provincial elections also indicate a major shift towards inter-sectarian competition, as well as a re-drawing of the inter-sectarian balance of power.