In Midst of Tikrit Campaign, al-Maliki refuses to step Down

[unhappycamper]

http://www.juancole.com/2014/07/campaign-maliki-refuses.html

In Midst of Tikrit Campaign, al-Maliki refuses to step Down
By contributors | Jul. 5, 2014

Despite the Iraqi parliament’s failure to reach a quorum on Tuesday, in a clear slap in the face to Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and other incumbents running for another term, on Friday Mr. al-Maliki insisted that he remains a candidate for a third term as prime minister.

Sunni and Kurdish parliamentarians on Tuesday took advantage of a brief recess to flee the Green Zone where parliament meets, making further negotiations over forming a government impossible.

On Thursday, long-serving Speaker of Parliament Usama Nujaiji, a Sunni Arab from Mosul, offered to step down, saying he hoped it would encourage al-Maliki to do likewise.

In a defiant speech to the Iraqi people on Friday, al-Maliki underlined that his party had won the largest single number of seats (92) in this spring’s elections. The Iraqi constitution says that parliament should meet within 15 days of the certification of election results, and then should elect a speaker of parliament and a president of Iraq. The president should then appoint as prime minister the leader of the largest single party in parliament.

[bemildred]

1. al Maliki is starting to remind me of Morsi, a sort of shi'ia Morsi.

Arrogant, opinionated, and never wrong about anything.

[ColesCountyDem]

2. +1! n/t