Iraq's parliament fails to convene as scheduled

[July 27, 2010]  BAGHDAD (AP) -- A lawmaker from Iraq's largest Shiite bloc says a parliament session expected Tuesday will not be held as discussions faltered again over the formation of a new government.

Haider al-Jorani, a lawmaker from Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's State of Law coalition, says the parliament session aimed at discussing the makeup of a new government has been postponed indefinitely.

He gave no reason for the decision that is likely to deepen Iraq's political impasse following inconclusive March 7 parliamentary elections.

The vote resulted in a contentious fight between al-Maliki's State of Law bloc, which won 89 of the legislature's 325 seats, and a Sunni-backed coalition led by secular Shiite and former prime minister Ayad Allawi with 91 seats.

[Associated Press]

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.