Iraq leaders seeking Prime Minister Maliki's exit

[Stillw8n]

Iraq leaders seeking Prime Minister Maliki's exit

Baghdad, Jan.19 : Iraq's political crisis has escalated with two groups within the government's ruling coalition meeting to discuss the possibility of ousting Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

In Baghdad, according to the Wall Street Journal, Ayad Allawi, the Shiite former prime minister who leads a mainly Sunni contingent within the government, met with his Iraqiya group to discuss ways to ease Maliki out of his role, while Kurdish leaders met in Erbil, the capital of the semi-independent Kurdish region, with the same goal.

Maliki has, on the other hand, threatened to expose what he alleges are his opponents' links to insurgents and involvement in corruption.

His majority coalition is on the brink of collapse after the Shiite leader crushed a bid by Sunni-dominated provinces for more autonomy from Baghdad, though such efforts are allowed under the constitution, and moved to arrest several Sunni politicians.

In protest, Iraqiya began boycotting Parliament and cabinet sessions.

Maliki this week suspended several Iraqiya members until they stop the boycotts.

Some political leaders from across the religious and ethnic spectrum, including some Shiites, agreed in meetings Wednesday they could no longer work with Maliki. But they disagreed over how to resolve the impasse. (ANI)


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