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Shiite coalition ends talks with Maliki
BAGHDAD, A coalition of Shiite parties broke off negotiations with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, weakening his chances of staying in office, observers said.
Left hanging among Iraqi politicians is who among the members of parliament will lead the next government, but observers said Maliki's chances are fading as his former political allies renewed negotiations with the Sunni-backed coalition led by former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, The Washington Post reported Monday.
Following the March 7 elections, both men claimed the right to form the new government, each citing conflicting interpretations of the constitution. However, neither has been able to muster enough parliamentary allies to secure the simple majority needed to appoint the next prime minister
.
Officials from the Iraqi National Alliance, the coalition of religious Shiite parties that suspended discussions with Maliki, said they wanted someone else as prime minister.
"We found that our negotiations with State of Law (Maliki's party) weren't serious," said Bahaa al-Aaraji, a member of parliament.
Aaraji said the religious parties would begin a new round of talks with counterparts in Allawi's bloc and a Kurdish coalition soon, the Post said. He said they would resume talks with Maliki's slate only if he agrees to nominate another candidate for prime minister.
Ezzat Shahbandar, a State of Law lawmaker, downplayed the significance of the suspended talks, saying the religious parties were "putting themselves out of the equation."
BAGHDAD, A coalition of Shiite parties broke off negotiations with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, weakening his chances of staying in office, observers said.
Left hanging among Iraqi politicians is who among the members of parliament will lead the next government, but observers said Maliki's chances are fading as his former political allies renewed negotiations with the Sunni-backed coalition led by former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, The Washington Post reported Monday.
Following the March 7 elections, both men claimed the right to form the new government, each citing conflicting interpretations of the constitution. However, neither has been able to muster enough parliamentary allies to secure the simple majority needed to appoint the next prime minister
.
Officials from the Iraqi National Alliance, the coalition of religious Shiite parties that suspended discussions with Maliki, said they wanted someone else as prime minister.
"We found that our negotiations with State of Law (Maliki's party) weren't serious," said Bahaa al-Aaraji, a member of parliament.
Aaraji said the religious parties would begin a new round of talks with counterparts in Allawi's bloc and a Kurdish coalition soon, the Post said. He said they would resume talks with Maliki's slate only if he agrees to nominate another candidate for prime minister.
Ezzat Shahbandar, a State of Law lawmaker, downplayed the significance of the suspended talks, saying the religious parties were "putting themselves out of the equation."
