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AALARD
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BAGHDAD, (UPI) -- Two leading Shiite political parties
announced Thursday they had narrowed down their choices for the next Iraqi prime minister.
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's State of Law coalition is negotiating a political alliance with the Iraqi National Alliance that would be four seats short of the majority needed to unilaterally form a new government in the 325-member Council of Representatives.
Iraq is still without a new government since voters March 7 handed the secular Iraqiya slate a narrow victory over State of Law. Iraqiya insists Iraqi law gives it the right to form a new government.
State of Law and Iraqi National Alliance leaders are at odds over candidates for prime minister. Adand al-Siraj, a State of Law leader, said both sides have narrowed their choices to Maliki and Vice President Adel Abdul Mehdi, Iraqi satellite channel al-Sumaria reports.
Former Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari was mentioned in earlier considerations. Jaafari won in an informal poll for prime minister by members of the Sadrist bloc of anti-American cleric Moqtada Sadr.
The Iraqi government, meanwhile, announced Thursday it released 14 members of the Sadrist bloc held on criminal charges, al-Sumaria adds. Sadrists denied the release was related to political developments, however.
The new Iraqi parliament is to have its first session Monday.
announced Thursday they had narrowed down their choices for the next Iraqi prime minister.
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's State of Law coalition is negotiating a political alliance with the Iraqi National Alliance that would be four seats short of the majority needed to unilaterally form a new government in the 325-member Council of Representatives.
Iraq is still without a new government since voters March 7 handed the secular Iraqiya slate a narrow victory over State of Law. Iraqiya insists Iraqi law gives it the right to form a new government.
State of Law and Iraqi National Alliance leaders are at odds over candidates for prime minister. Adand al-Siraj, a State of Law leader, said both sides have narrowed their choices to Maliki and Vice President Adel Abdul Mehdi, Iraqi satellite channel al-Sumaria reports.
Former Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari was mentioned in earlier considerations. Jaafari won in an informal poll for prime minister by members of the Sadrist bloc of anti-American cleric Moqtada Sadr.
The Iraqi government, meanwhile, announced Thursday it released 14 members of the Sadrist bloc held on criminal charges, al-Sumaria adds. Sadrists denied the release was related to political developments, however.
The new Iraqi parliament is to have its first session Monday.