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Maliki might seek a third term
01/12/2011 15:29
BAGHDAD, Dec. 1 (AKnews) - Fadhil Mohammed Jawad, legal adviser to Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, said Thursday that Maliki has the legal right to nominate himself for a third term.
Jawad referred to the Iraqi constitution and said, it did not specify a maximum number of terms a person can serve as prime minister, since Iraq is a parliamentary country where the largest bloc nominates a candidate.
"The political blocs need to amend the constitution if they agreed to limit the number of terms of the prime minister to two only, Jawad said.
Maliki, head of the State of law Coalition, became prime minister in 2006 and is now in his second term. The start of his government was difficult. No party had been able to win a majority in March 2010's elections, causing an eight-month deadlock, which was ended by the Erbil Agreement. It meant that former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi agreed to allow Maliki to stay on as prime minister as long as a new tier of executive powers was created for Allawi.
This was to be in the form of the National Council for Strategic Policies, which would be able to propose laws and ensure "harmony and integration" of policy. However, disputes over its powers have meant that it is yet to be realized, and Maliki finally said that its implementation would be impractical.
Another element to the dispute stems from the fact that the three key security ministerial positions have remained unfilled since the new cabinet headed by Nuri al-Maliki was sworn in on December 2, 2010.
By Jaafar al-Wannan
RN/CU/AKnews
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01/12/2011 15:29
BAGHDAD, Dec. 1 (AKnews) - Fadhil Mohammed Jawad, legal adviser to Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, said Thursday that Maliki has the legal right to nominate himself for a third term.
Jawad referred to the Iraqi constitution and said, it did not specify a maximum number of terms a person can serve as prime minister, since Iraq is a parliamentary country where the largest bloc nominates a candidate.
"The political blocs need to amend the constitution if they agreed to limit the number of terms of the prime minister to two only, Jawad said.
Maliki, head of the State of law Coalition, became prime minister in 2006 and is now in his second term. The start of his government was difficult. No party had been able to win a majority in March 2010's elections, causing an eight-month deadlock, which was ended by the Erbil Agreement. It meant that former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi agreed to allow Maliki to stay on as prime minister as long as a new tier of executive powers was created for Allawi.
This was to be in the form of the National Council for Strategic Policies, which would be able to propose laws and ensure "harmony and integration" of policy. However, disputes over its powers have meant that it is yet to be realized, and Maliki finally said that its implementation would be impractical.
Another element to the dispute stems from the fact that the three key security ministerial positions have remained unfilled since the new cabinet headed by Nuri al-Maliki was sworn in on December 2, 2010.
By Jaafar al-Wannan
RN/CU/AKnews
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
