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Kurdish incumbent Jalal Talabani has been re-elected by Parliament as Iraq's President. He then designated Shiite Prime Minsiter Nouri al-Maliki to form a new government. Thursday's moves end a 8-month political deadlock.
Jalal Talabani was re-elected as Iraq's President despite a walk-out by members of the Sunni-backed Iraqiya Alliance, led by former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi.
Most members of the bloc walked out because they refused to vote before Parliament approved a list of conditions which had been brokered earlier with a number of other factions.
One of the demands was to issue a law for the National Council on Strategic Policies, which would give Allawi more power in regard to security issues, and to review the country's de-Baathification law.
Talabani was re-elected by an overwhelming margin of 199 votes after the walkout.
He later tabbed Shiite Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki to form a new administration within 30 days.
Iraq has been without a permanent government since an inconclusive election in March.
A Sunni-backed coalition led by Allawi narrowly won the poll, while al-Maliki's side finished second. But neither party managed to muster the majority needed to form an administration.
Al-Maliki aligned several months ago with a large Shiite bloc led by anti-American cleric- Muqtada al-Sadr. The coalition brought the two leaders close to a Parliamentary majority.
Thursday's developments ensure that Iraq's government will continue to be dominated by Shiite parties sympathetic to Iran for the next four years.
One of the biggest concerns previously expressed was that the Sunnis might be politically sidelined again, fueling sectarian tensions.
全球公众传媒摘编：GAN JADE |
