Major Iraqi parties push for confidence vote in proposed government

A year on from Iraq's elections, major political parties announced Tuesday they want parliament to convene within days to hold a confidence vote in their proposed government.

Lawmakers last week finally elected a new president who in turn nominated a prime minister, following infighting between key Shia Muslim factions that has paralysed political life for months.

"The coalition has announced its intention to ask parliament to meet on Saturday for a vote on the government," a statement by the Coalition for the Administration of the State said on Tuesday.

The coalition includes the Coordination Framework, an alliance of powerful pro-Iran Shia factions that holds 138 out of 329 seats in parliament.

Other members are a Sunni grouping led by parliament speaker Mohamed al-Halbussi, and two key Kurdish parties.

The nominee for the post of prime minister, Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, has 30 days from October 13 to form a government.

The balance of parliamentary power shifted decisively in favour of the Coordination Framework from late June, when it took the majority of seats vacated by a rival Shia faction led by mercurial cleric Moqtada Sadr.

After abandoning parliament to his foes, Sadr initially tried to hinder government formation, calling for the assembly to be dissolved as a precursor to early legislative elections.

His movement on Saturday announced that it will not be part of the next government.

Tensions boiled over on August 29 when more than 30 Sadr supporters were killed in battles with Iran-backed factions and the army.