Allawi insists on forming Iraqi gov't

Former Iraqi prime minister Iyad Allawi says his Iraqiya list entitles him to form the next government -- regardless of the merger of Iraq's two Shia blocs.

"The Iraqiya list insists on its electoral and constitutional rights. We are interested in having good relations with the political powers, especially the Iraqi National Alliance; this meeting will be the first among a number of meetings that will be taking place over the next days," Allawi made the comments after meeting with leaders of the Iraqi National Alliance on Thursday.

The gathering came shortly after Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's State of Law Coalition officially joined hands with the electoral rival, Iraqi National Alliance, forming the largest bloc in Iraq's next parliament.

Iraq took a major step towards forming its next government after the merger. The two Shia groups merged in a bid to end weeks of political limbo that followed the inconclusive elections.

However, it is not yet clear who will claim the top job in the Iraqi government.

On the March 7 elections 325 seats were contested and former prime minister Allawi's al-Iraqiya Alliance only managed to claim 91 seats, failing to secure a majority.

Maliki's front, on the other hand, won 89 seats and his rival Shia group 70.

The upcoming alliance of the two Shia fronts is still four seats short of a parliamentary majority.

A recount of the ballots in the key Baghdad constituency has been ordered to help determine the fate of the next ruling party.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=125697§ionid=351020201.