- The political blocs that met to withdraw confidence from PM Nouri al-Maliki will not be able to agree on a substitute, said an MP close to Maliki yesterday.

The MP added that the meetings in Erbil and Najaf between political leaders did not prepare for the next step after the possible withdrawal of confidence from Maliki.

The National Accord Movement, led by Ayad Allawi, stated on Sunday that the political blocs held a meeting in Najaf and decided to postpone withdrawing confidence from Maliki to first of all agree on what would happen post-withdrawal.

Izzat al-Shabandar, the leader in the State of Law Coalition, said: "The meeting political parties will not agree on an alternative candidate for Maliki and they were supposed to follow the legal frameworks to withdraw confidence and prepare for the next step.

"Maliki also has numerous observations about the partnership mechanism adopted by the other parties the same as they have observations on his management for the state."

Leader of the Sadrist Movement Muqtada al-Sadr, Kurdistan's President Massoud Barzani, Iraqiya List leader Ayad Allawi, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani and speaker of the Iraqi parliament Osama al-Nujaifi met in Erbil on April 28 to write a letter outlining a number of political demands.

The letter was sent to National Coalition (NC) leader Ibrahim al-Jaafari and gave PM Maliki 15 days to respond or else the leaders would withdraw confidence from his government. The deadline ended last week and Sadr denied on Friday receiving any response from the NC to the letter.

The Iraqi constitution defines two ways to withdraw confidence from the PM according to article 61. The first involves a request filed by the president and secondly through the Council of Representatives at the request of one fifth of members. Such a request cannot be submitted before the PM is interrogated.

The Council of Representatives may withdraw confidence from the PM by the absolute majority of its members seven days after the submission of the request.

Mariam al-Rayyes, adviser in the media office of Maliki, announced that the PM is ready to be questioned by the Council of Representatives in a public session if the political parties ask for withdrawing confidence from him and submit justification for withdrawing confidence.



AKnews