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Iraq's Allawi Threatening to Quit Government


Former Iraqi prime minister Ayad Allawi (file photo)
Former Iraqi prime minister Ayad Allawi (file photo)

Former Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi has told a British newspaper that he is threatening to quit Iraq's new power-sharing government.

The Times quotes Mr. Allawi as saying "power-sharing is not happening." In an interview published Tuesday, Mr. Allawi also says the new government is "not set to work in a meaningful way." He says if it does not change, he will not support it.

Mr. Allawi's Iraqiya coalition won the most seats in March elections but was unable to gain enough support from other parties to create a majority government. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's State of Law bloc came in second, but gained enough support to lead the coalition.

In November, Iraqi's main political leaders announced a deal that allows Mr. Allawi to oversee a newly created national security committee. Meanwhile, Mr. Maliki retains his position as prime minister. Lawmakers re-elected Kurdish leader Jalal Talabani as president.

Prime Minister Maliki says he hopes to have a new government in place by mid-December.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP.

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