Talks begin to shape new Iraqi government
Talks on who would get what in Iraq’s newly-elected National Assembly were underway today but the clergy-backed Shiites, whose winning margin was smaller than they expected, may now have to compromise more than anticipated.
With barely 50% of the final vote in the 275 member National Assembly, the United Iraqi Alliance will not have control over the assembly, leading to speculation it may soon form a coalition with the independence-minded Kurds who won 26% of the vote.
Abdel-Aziz al-Hakim, the Alliance's leader, was holding talks with political allies at his office today.
Al-Hakim, who lost 19 family members to Saddam Hussein’s executioners, sat and wept as he heard the results yesterday. He later spoke of the need for cooperation with disenchanted Sunnis already alienated in post-war Iraq.
“We believe in the need for participation and will seek harmony among all segments of the Iraqi people,” he said.
The election results highlighted the sharp differences among Iraq’s ethnic, religious and cultural groups – many of whom fear domination not just by the Shiites, estimated at 60% of the population, but also by the Kurds, the most pro-American group with about 15%.
Seats will generally be allocated according to the percentage of votes that each ticket won. It appeared only 12 coalitions would take seats. The Shiites stand to gain up to 140 seats and the Kurds could end up with about 75.
“This is a great victory for the Iraqi people,” said Ahmad Chalabi, a former Pentagon protégé and member of the Shiite ticket who is lobbying for the prime minister’s post.
“We will have an assembly which is elected by the people and the government which is completely legitimate and elected by the people.”
Other leading contenders for the top post include fellow Shiites Ibrahim Jaafari, a vice president; Finance Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi; and former nuclear scientist Hussain al-Shahristani.
The results threw immediate focus on Iraqi leaders’ backdoor deal-making to create a new coalition government and on efforts to lure Sunnis into the fold and away from a bloody insurgency.
The National Assembly’s first task will be to elect a president and two vice presidents by a two-thirds majority. So far the only declared presidential candidate is a Kurdish leader Jalal Talabani.
The three will choose a new prime minister subject to assembly approval.
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