Prime minister steps down in effort to promote unity
THE United States and the United Nations have welcomed Iraqi prime minister Nouri alMaliki’s decision to stand down and bring an end to the political deadlock that has plunged the country into uncertainty as it fights a Sunni militant insurgency.
Standing alongside senior members of his party, including rival Haider alAbadi, Mr al-Maliki said he was stepping aside in favour of his “brother,” in order to “facilitate the political process and government formation”.
The US, the UN and a broad array of political factions in Iraq had backed Mr al-Abadi, saying only a new leader could unify a country under siege from Sunni extremists of the Islamic State group that have captured large swathes of Iraqi territory.
Mr Maliki had been struggling for weeks to stay on for a third four-year term as prime minister amid an attempt by opponents to push him out, accusing him of monopolising power and pursuing a fiercely pro-Shiite agenda that has alienated the Sunni minority.
The White House commended Mr Maliki for backing Mr Abadi and expressed hope that the power shift “can set Iraq on a new path and unite its people” against the threat from Islamic militants, national security adviser Susan Rice said in a statement.
The United Nations special representative for Iraq, Nickolay Mladenov, also welcomed the move, saying it “demonstrates statesmanship and a commitment to the democratic process and the constitution”.
Mr Abadi has 30 days to put together a cabinet for parliament’s approval.
The UN Security Council urged Mr Abadi to work swiftly to form “an inclusive government that represents all segments of the Iraqi population and that contributes to finding a viable and sustainable solution”.