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| Maliki set to be replaced as Iraq's prime minister | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Iraq's embattled prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, appeared to have lost his job on Monday, after the country's president appointed a rival Shia candidate to form a new government. | Iraq's embattled prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, appeared to have lost his job on Monday, after the country's president appointed a rival Shia candidate to form a new government. |
| In a major defeat for Maliki, Iraq's largest coalition of Shia political parties nominated Haider al-Abadi, a member of Maliki's Shia Islamist Dawa party, to take over as prime minister. | In a major defeat for Maliki, Iraq's largest coalition of Shia political parties nominated Haider al-Abadi, a member of Maliki's Shia Islamist Dawa party, to take over as prime minister. |
| Iraq's Kurdish president, Fouad Massoum, formally announced Abadi's appointment soon afterwards. The move is likely to deepen Iraq's political turmoil and comes just hours after Maliki deployed his elite security troops on the streets of Baghdad. | Iraq's Kurdish president, Fouad Massoum, formally announced Abadi's appointment soon afterwards. The move is likely to deepen Iraq's political turmoil and comes just hours after Maliki deployed his elite security troops on the streets of Baghdad. |
| The international community has repeatedly put pressure on Maliki to step down. It says that his divisive sectarian politics have enabled the rise of Islamic State (Isis) militants, who have captured large swaths of the country over the past three months. | The international community has repeatedly put pressure on Maliki to step down. It says that his divisive sectarian politics have enabled the rise of Islamic State (Isis) militants, who have captured large swaths of the country over the past three months. |
| But a defiant Maliki has insisted that he has the right to carry on as prime minister following elections in April because he commands the largest bloc in the Iraqi parliament. | But a defiant Maliki has insisted that he has the right to carry on as prime minister following elections in April because he commands the largest bloc in the Iraqi parliament. |
| In a TV address on Sunday he accused Massoum of violating the consitution by failing to name a prime minister within 15 days. Pointedly, he also sent Iraq government forces on Sunday evening to the green zone, the home of Iraq's government, and to the president's residence. | In a TV address on Sunday he accused Massoum of violating the consitution by failing to name a prime minister within 15 days. Pointedly, he also sent Iraq government forces on Sunday evening to the green zone, the home of Iraq's government, and to the president's residence. |
| It was unclear whether Maliki will now accept the president's decision or resist attempts to replace him. Abadi, the first deputy speaker of Iraq's parliament, is a member of Maliki's party, which in recent weeks has turned against the prime minister. | It was unclear whether Maliki will now accept the president's decision or resist attempts to replace him. Abadi, the first deputy speaker of Iraq's parliament, is a member of Maliki's party, which in recent weeks has turned against the prime minister. |
| State television showed footage of president Massoum shaking hands with Abadi and telling him: "I hope you will be successful in forming a broader-based government." | State television showed footage of president Massoum shaking hands with Abadi and telling him: "I hope you will be successful in forming a broader-based government." |
| Abadi is a low-key figure who spent time in Britain. According to his Facebook biography, his favourite quotation is "the key to leadership is tolerance". Educated at the University of Manchester, Abadi served as the head of the parliament's finance committee, a political advisor to the prime minister and a minister of communications. | Abadi is a low-key figure who spent time in Britain. According to his Facebook biography, his favourite quotation is "the key to leadership is tolerance". Educated at the University of Manchester, Abadi served as the head of the parliament's finance committee, a political advisor to the prime minister and a minister of communications. |
| The new prime minister swiftly called on Iraqis to unite against the "barbaric" campaign waged by Isis. "We all have to co-operate to stand against this terrorist campaign launched on Iraq and to stop all terrorist groups," Abadi said in remarks broadcast on state television just after the president had asked him to form a government, according to Reuters. | The new prime minister swiftly called on Iraqis to unite against the "barbaric" campaign waged by Isis. "We all have to co-operate to stand against this terrorist campaign launched on Iraq and to stop all terrorist groups," Abadi said in remarks broadcast on state television just after the president had asked him to form a government, according to Reuters. |
| Speaking on Sunday, the US secretary of state, John Kerry, warned Maliki to abide by the constitutional process and not to use his powers as head of the armed forces to cling to office. | Speaking on Sunday, the US secretary of state, John Kerry, warned Maliki to abide by the constitutional process and not to use his powers as head of the armed forces to cling to office. |
| Kerry said that any move to circumvent the political process would lead to a cut-off of international aid. He said: "There should be no use of force, no introduction of troops or militias into this moment of democray for Iraq.". | Kerry said that any move to circumvent the political process would lead to a cut-off of international aid. He said: "There should be no use of force, no introduction of troops or militias into this moment of democray for Iraq.". |