* Step complicating Iraqi government formation

Step complicating Iraqi government formation


September 28th, 2010


Erbil, Sept. 28 (AKnews) – The Iraqiya list refuses to support new Iraqi government headed by the incumbent PM Nuri Maliki.
Iraqiya, a cross-sectarian alliance led by former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, was the bloc that won the most seats in the 325-seat Parliament, heavily backed by minority Sunnis.
But Iraqiya, which has 91 seats, two more than Al-Maliki’s State of Law bloc, has been unable to win over others to form a majority.
On Tuesday, the Shiite-led National Alliance, a merger of Al-Maliki’s coalition and the Iranian-backed Iraqi National Alliance (INA), gave itself five days to pick a nominee for prime minister in a move to end a six-month impasse since the vote.
Osama Al-Nujaifi, a senior member of Iraqiya, said his bloc would not recognize the National Alliance or any decisions it makes, but would be willing to start negotiations to form a national coalition government, particularly with the INA.
“Iraqiya will not take part in any government headed by Al-Maliki, this is definite,” he told Reuters. “Iraqiya is ready to open a serious dialogue with the winning blocs and especially the Iraqi National Alliance, according to the earned election and constitutional rights.” Iraqiya later formally announced its position on Al-Maliki in a statement read by party spokesman Haider Al-Mulla. “Iraqiya considers the current model to run the state headed by Mr. Al-Maliki is not suitable to be repeated,” Mulla said.
The State of Law party, which won 89 seats in the election, and the INA, which took 70, announced their intention to merge in Parliament. The two blocs will be just four seats short of a parliamentary majority.
But Al-Maliki’s partners refused to support his bid for a new term and nominated outgoing vice president Adel Abdul-Mahdi as a rival candidate.
http://www.aknews.com/en/aknews/4/184623/