Crisis deepens as Iraq PM- designate quits
Protest-torn Iraq faced more political gridlock yesterday after prime minister-designate Mohammed Allawi withdrew overnight, accusing lawmakers of obstructing his attempt to form a government.
Iraq has for five months been rocked by the biggest wave of anti-government demonstrations since the 2003 US-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein.
The mostly youthful protesters demand the ouster of Iraq's entire political elite, which they accuse of being inept, corrupt and beholden to powerful neighbour Iran.
Allawi's departure plunges Iraq deeper into uncertainty and leaves President Barham Saleh 15 days to propose a new candidate -- likely intelligence chief Mustafa al-Kazimi, according to political sources.
Iraq has been in legal limbo since outgoing premier Adel Abdel Mahdi stepped down in December, as the constitution makes no provisions for such a resignation.
Iraq's bitterly divided parliament had on Sunday failed for a third time to convene a confidence vote on Allawi's proposed government. Allawi had been nominated as a consensus candidate among Iraq's divided political parties, and had emphasised that his cabinet would be made up of technocrats and independents.
Anti-government demonstrators had nonetheless rejected him as too closely connected to the political elite.
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