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News Middle East
Iraq parliament ordered to convene
Allawi's Iraqiya bloc won the most seats, but has failed to form a government[AFP]

Iraq's president has asked the newly elected parliament to convene on June 14 for the first time since inconclusive elections failed to produce a new government, a presidency official has said.

Iraq's parliament has not convened amid the political uncertainty that followed the March 7 polls.

"The president (Jalal Talabani) decided that the parliament will meet on Monday, June 14," Nasir al-Ani, the head of the Iraqi presidency's office, told the AFP news service.

Once parliament is opened, Iraq's constitution states that MPs must select a speaker for the council of representatives, and then choose a new president.
special report

The president will then give the leader of the largest bloc in parliament 30 days to form a government.

Iraq's Supreme Court ratified the results of the general election on June 1, confirming initial figures which put former premier Iyad Allawi's Iraqiya bloc ahead, followed closely by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's State of Law Alliance.

The court has decided, however, that a coalition agreed before parliament's first meeting would gain primacy over Iraqiya if it held more combined seats.

Earlier this month, State of Law and the Iraqi National Alliance, led by Shia religious groups, announced they would form a post-election coalition, leaving them just short of a majority, though they have yet to formalise the arrangement.

http://english.aljaz...2420554441.html

[iraqiyodaman]

What happened to June 10th?