Iraq major Shia bloc: Talks to choose new PM have failed

The Iraqi Sairoon coalition, backed by prominent Shia cleric Muqtada Al-Sadr, announced yesterday that Shia forces have failed to choose a candidate to head the new Iraqi government, Anadolu reported.

The agency quoted the head of the Sairoon alliance and member of the committee tasked with nominating a candidate for PM, Nabil Al-Tarfi, as saying that after the committee’s failure, the President of the Republic must now exercise his constitutional powers and nominate a candidate.

The announcement came only hours before the 15 days constitutional deadline set to choose a new PM expires.

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Last week, the main Shia forces in Iraq formed a seven member committee to nominate a Shia candidate to head the new government.

Two week ago, Prime Minister-designate Muhammad Tawfiq Allawi stepped down from the task of forming the government, after he had failed to convince Sunni and Kurd forces to support his government.

The former PM-designate addressed the nation in the early hours of 2 March, accusing members of parliament and unnamed political parties of deliberately preventing the formation of a government, and prolonging anti-government protests which started in October.