Chinmaya IAS Academy – Current Affairs Chinmaya IAS Academy – Current Affairs
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Seeks to overcome differences, unite fractious parties Veteran Iraqi politician and now Prime Minister designate Adel Abdel Mahdi on Wednesday began the tough task of forming the next government, seeking to overcome sharp differences and unite fractious political parties. In a surprise move on Tuesday, new President Barham Saleh handed Mr. Abdel Mahdi — seen as an independent — the difficult responsibility only hours after being elected. It comes as several different blocs in the Iraqi Parliament are jostling for power following the May elections — in-fighting which had so far stymied the formation of a new government. The largest bloc traditionally appoints the Prime Minister and presides over the formation of the next government. But the exact contours of a new governing coalition are yet to be drawn. Outgoing Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi threw in the towel last month after deadly unrest in the southern city of Basra cost his fragile alliance the support of populist Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr. Mr. Sadr’s list won the largest share of seats in the polls. And after dumping Mr. Abadi, it swung behind the pro-Iran bloc led by Hadi al-Ameri’s Conquest Alliance — a coalition of anti-jihadist veterans close to Tehran. A spokesman for Conquest Alliance, Ahmad al-Assadi, told reporters that “the largest coalition resolved the issue by naming the PM” hinting his bloc had supported Mr. Abdel Mahdi’s nomination, but without offering up any concrete evidence.
