Shiite political blocs form coalition in Iraq
Groups led by al-Maliki, al-Sadr have strong ties to Iran
BAGHDAD – Iraq’s two Shiite Muslim political blocs, both with close ties to neighboring Iran, announced the formation late Tuesday of a coalition with a strong chance at forming a new government after inconclusive March 7 elections, state television reported.
“After continuous talks … based on joint national principles … both coalitions have agreed to announce the formation of a single parliamentary bloc,” said a statement read by Abdul-Razzaq Kadhimi, a member of former Prime Minister Ibrahim Jafari’s coalition and a onetime adviser to him.
The new bloc combines the seats of the State of Law coalition, led by incumbent Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, and Jafari’s Iraqi National Alliance, which includes the movement of radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.
The announcement Tuesday left unresolved the question of who would lead the new coalition, though al-Maliki remains a strong contender.
Al-Maliki’s path to retaining the premiership is far from clear. He faces stiff opposition from the bloc loyal to al-Sadr, which despises the prime minister for launching several military offensives against its armed wing, the Mahdi Army.
The newly formed coalition constitutes 159 of the parliament’s 325 seats, just four seats short of the majority needed to govern. Its formation delivers a blow to the bloc led by former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, a secular Shiite and onetime favorite of the West with close ties to U.S. allies in the Middle East.
Because Allawi’s faction won more seats than any other – 91 – he was technically allowed to have the first crack at forming the new government. But al-Maliki had obtained a court order before the vote allowing disparate blocs to combine their totals. A secretive commission had also challenged some of the candidates on Allawi’s Iraqiya slate for alleged connections to the late Saddam Hussein’s Baath Party.