Iraqi groups announce bloc to form parliamentary majority

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Sixteen political groupings in Iraq, including those of nationalist Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr and Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, said on Sunday they created the biggest bloc in parliament, capable of forming a new government, after four months of political uncertainty.

The new government is tasked with rebuilding the country after a three-year war with Islamic State militants and balancing relations between Iraq's two biggest allies: Iran and the United States.

In May, Iraqis voted in their first parliamentary election since the defeat of Islamic State militants, but a contentious recount process delayed the announcement of final results until last month.

The recount delayed the process by three months but showed little had changed from the initial results, with Sadr, a populist Shi'ite cleric, retaining his lead of 54 seats. Abadi's bloc remained third with 42.

The alliance that was announced on Sunday includes 177 lawmakers from 16 electoral lists. It is now in the lead position to form a government.

A member of the Iraqi SWAT security forces stands guard in a watchtower by the local government headquarters in the southern city of Basra on Sept. 2, 2018. /VCG Photo

Iraq's parliament contains 329 seats and is set to convene on Monday when it will elect a speaker and launch the government formation process.

Parliamentarians will then have 30 days to elect a new president for the country, a position that goes to a member of the Kurdish minority with at least two-thirds of the vote.

Kurdish parties have yet to officially announce candidates for the post of president.

The new president will then have 15 days to task the biggest parliamentary bloc to form a new government.

(Top image: Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr attends a press conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi in Najaf, Iraq, June 23, 2018. /VCG Photo)

Source(s): AFP ,Reuters