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| Iraq | |
| Speaker threatens to oust Maliki | |
| 2012-06-22 | |
The threat by the speaker, Osama al-Nujaifi, a leader in the Iraqiya political coalition, counters a claim last week by Iraq’s president that there is not enough support in parliament to call a vote to push Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki from power. Speaking to reporters Thursday, al-Nujaifi said he personally believes al-Maliki should step down from the job that he barely won after national elections in 2010 failed to produce a clear winner. Since then — and particularly after US troops left Iraq last December — critics have accused al-Maliki of sidelining his political opponents and violating agreements to share power within a unity government. The political deadlock has all but brought Iraq’s government to a standstill so far this year. Bickering between the government in Baghdad and the self-rule Kurdish region in Iraq’s north threatens to stunt vital foreign investment in the country’s lucrative oil industry. Political lethargy, combined with red tape, has delayed improvements in many areas, including the nation’s electricity system, job creation and rooting out government corruption. “This is a dangerous matter that if continued would lead to catastrophic consequences,” al-Nujaifi said as parliament prepared to return to work after a six-week recess. He said al-Maliki would be summoned for questioning in front of parliament within days. “And if there is a parliament majority that is not convinced with the results of the questioning, then the no-confidence vote will take place,” al-Nujaifi said. He called the process “an attempt to put the country on the right track again.” Last week, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, a Kurd, said a preliminary count of lawmakers who want al-Maliki to step down fell four short of the 164 votes needed to force the issue. Al-Nujaifi denied that, saying that while a few lawmakers backed off, “the number is still enough.” Responding, the prime minister’s media adviser, Ali al-Moussawi, said al-Maliki will answer parliament’s questions and respects his opponents’ rights to call for the no-confidence vote. “But we are confident that they will fail to secure the needed 164 votes,” al-Moussawi said Thursday. | |
| Posted by:Steve White |