Publication

7 Jul 2010

Baghdad this month, and likely for several more, is engaged in the political equivalent of Sumo wrestling. After appeals and recounts, the now-certified results of the March elections show the “Iraqiya” slate got 91 seats in parliament; “State of Law” got 89. Each of their heavyweights, former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi and current Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki respectively, claims the right to form a government and act as prime minister. The parliament has 325 seats; 163 constitute a majority. In his visit over the July 4 weekend, Vice President Biden tried to referee the match, with the objective of getting the two to stop wrestling and join together to form the new government, a formula Washington prefers.

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Author Daniel Serwer
Series USIP Peace Briefs
Issue 40
Publisher United States Institute of Peace (USIP)
Copyright © 2010 United States Institute of Peace (USIP)
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