DDMA Headline Animator

Wednesday, December 13, 2017

Iraq to hold parliamentary elections May 15

2017-11-01

BAGHDAD - Iraq plans to hold parliamentary elections on May 15 to choose a prime minister, a statement from the prime minister's office said late on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi hasn't yet said if he plans to seek a new term. Most executive power is held by the prime minister, who is also commander of the armed forces.

The May 15 date, agreed at a government meeting on Tuesday, has yet to be approved by parliament.

Abadi took over the premiership in 2014 from Nuri al-Maliki, a close ally of Iran held responsible for the army's collapse as Islamic State militants swept through a third of Iraq.

Abadi is credited for quickly rebuilding the army and defeating Islamic State in its main Iraqi stronghold, Mosul, last July, with strong assistance from a US-led coalition.

Maliki holds the ceremonial title of vice-president. As head of the Shiite Dawa party and the largest block in parliament, he remains a powerful political figure.

The prime minister's office is reserved for Iraq's majority Shiite Arab community under a power-sharing system set up after the 2003 US-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein, a Sunni Arab.

The largely ceremonial office of president is reserved for a Kurdish member of parliament. The speaker of parliament is drawn from Sunni Arab MPs.

Source: Middle East Online.
Link: http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=85705.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.