State Of Law Coalition

BAGHDAD — Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s political coalition took an early vote lead yesterday in the election’s all-important battleground of Baghdad, pulling away from its two closest rivals in the latest indication that Iraqis want a moderate government. Partial results released by the Independent High Electoral Commission showed the State of Law coalition with about a 60,000-vote edge nationwide over its main moderate challenger, the secular Iraqiya coalition. The partial Baghdad vote was released amid utter disarray in the election commission’s headquarters, where the results...

BAGHDAD — Nouri al-Maliki, Iraq’s prime minister, cemented his grip on power yesterday, ending nearly nine months of political deadlock after he was asked by the country’s president to form the next government. He now faces the daunting task of bringing together Iraq’s Shi’ite, Sunni, and Kurdish factions in a government that can overcome enduring tensions as the country struggles to develop its economy and prevent a resurgence of violence as the last American combat troops are due to leave by the end of next year.

BAGHDAD — Iraq’s prime minister edged ahead in a tight race in the country’s parliamentary elections yesterday after partial results from all of 18 provinces showed his bloc leading in seven provinces — two more than his chief rival. The tally strengthens Nouri al-Maliki’s chances of retaining the prime minister’s post, although he is unlikely to win a majority that would allow him rule alone. Instead, the narrow race could lead to months of political wrangling as leaders try to cobble together a coalition government that will rule as American forces leave Iraq in 2011.

BAGHDAD — Iraqi officials said 41 people were killed and 112 wounded today in a suicide bombing strike against Iraqi army recruits in Baghdad. The morning blast targeted recruits lined up outside an Iraqi army division headquarters in the heart of the capital. Two police officials said at least two soldiers were among the dead and eight among the wounded. Officials at four Baghdad hospitals confirmed the casualties. The attack came a day after a Sunni-backed coalition that won the most seats in Iraq’s parliamentary election said that it would suspend power-sharing...

BAGHDAD — Nouri al-Maliki, Iraq’s prime minister, cemented his grip on power yesterday, ending nearly nine months of political deadlock after he was asked by the country’s president to form the next government. He now faces the daunting task of bringing together Iraq’s Shi’ite, Sunni, and Kurdish factions in a government that can overcome enduring tensions as the country struggles to develop its economy and prevent a resurgence of violence as the last American combat troops are due to leave by the end of next year.

BAGHDAD — Iraqi officials said 41 people were killed and 112 wounded today in a suicide bombing strike against Iraqi army recruits in Baghdad. The morning blast targeted recruits lined up outside an Iraqi army division headquarters in the heart of the capital. Two police officials said at least two soldiers were among the dead and eight among the wounded. Officials at four Baghdad hospitals confirmed the casualties. The attack came a day after a Sunni-backed coalition that won the most seats in Iraq’s parliamentary...

BAGHDAD — Hopes that Iraq’s parliament could convene this week fell apart yesterday as the country stumbled into its fifth month with no new government and the prime minister hitting a brick wall with his nominal Shi’ite allies, some of whom deeply oppose his staying in his post. The heads of the main political blocs met yesterday in the latest attempt to find common ground, but with no resolution on filling top posts in sight, they decided to delay the next session for two weeks, said the acting parliament speaker, Fouad Massoum.

BAGHDAD — A secular coalition challenging the Iraqi prime minister in the country’s historic parliamentary elections has narrowly pulled ahead for the first time in the overall vote count, although it still trails in the crucial province-by-province count. The Iraqiya coalition, led by former prime minister Ayad Allawi, seemed to be gaining momentum, taking a 9,000-vote lead nationwide, according to new totals released late yesterday. But with about 20 percent of the votes still to be counted from the March 7 election, it was unclear whether that margin would...

BAGHDAD — The Iraqi prime minister’s coalition cried foul just one hour into a partial vote recount that began yesterday and demanded the process be halted, the latest political tussle delaying the formation of an Iraqi government in the aftermath of the close election. The recount of roughly 2.5 million votes cast March 7 in the capital was demanded by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s State of Law coalition, which narrowly lost to a bloc led by former prime minister Ayad Allawi that enjoyed heavy Sunni support.

BAGHDAD — Iraq’s female lawmakers are furious that only one member of the country’s new Cabinet is a woman and are demanding better representation in a government that otherwise has been praised by the international community for bringing together religious sects and political parties. Although women make up a quarter of the 325-member Parliament, only two ministries were offered to women — with one refusing the post in protest — in the 44-member Cabinet sworn in Tuesday.

BAGHDAD — Hopes that Iraq’s parliament could convene this week fell apart yesterday as the country stumbled into its fifth month with no new government and the prime minister hitting a brick wall with his nominal Shi’ite allies, some of whom deeply oppose his staying in his post. The heads of the main political blocs met yesterday in the latest attempt to find common ground, but with no resolution on filling top posts in sight, they decided to delay the next session for two weeks, said the acting parliament speaker, Fouad Massoum.

BAGHDAD — The Iraqi prime minister’s coalition cried foul just one hour into a partial vote recount that began yesterday and demanded the process be halted, the latest political tussle delaying the formation of an Iraqi government in the aftermath of the close election. The recount of roughly 2.5 million votes cast March 7 in the capital was demanded by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s State of Law coalition, which narrowly lost to a bloc led by former prime minister Ayad Allawi that enjoyed heavy Sunni support.

BAGHDAD — A secular coalition challenging the Iraqi prime minister in the country’s historic parliamentary elections has narrowly pulled ahead for the first time in the overall vote count, although it still trails in the crucial province-by-province count. The Iraqiya coalition, led by former prime minister Ayad Allawi, seemed to be gaining momentum, taking a 9,000-vote lead nationwide, according to new totals released late yesterday. But with about 20 percent of the votes still to be counted from the March 7 election, it was unclear whether that margin would...

BAGHDAD — Iraq’s prime minister edged ahead in a tight race in the country’s parliamentary elections yesterday after partial results from all of 18 provinces showed his bloc leading in seven provinces — two more than his chief rival. The tally strengthens Nouri al-Maliki’s chances of retaining the prime minister’s post, although he is unlikely to win a majority that would allow him rule alone. Instead, the narrow race could lead to months of political wrangling as leaders try to cobble together a coalition government that will...

BAGHDAD — Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s political coalition took an early vote lead yesterday in the election’s all-important battleground of Baghdad, pulling away from its two closest rivals in the latest indication that Iraqis want a moderate government. Partial results released by the Independent High Electoral Commission showed the State of Law coalition with about a 60,000-vote edge nationwide over its main moderate challenger, the secular Iraqiya coalition. The partial Baghdad vote was released amid utter disarray in the election commission’s headquarters,...

BAGHDAD - The Iraqi prime minister’s coalition and its main secular rival both claimed to be ahead in the vote count yesterday, a day after historic parliamentary elections that the top US commander said would let all but 50,000 American troops come home by the end of summer. Sunday’s election, which took place against a backdrop of violence in Baghdad, marked a turning point for the country’s nascent democracy. The winner will help determine whether Iraq can resolve its sectarian divisions and preserve the nation’s fragile security as US troops leave.

BAGHDAD — Iraq’s Shi’ite prime minister said yesterday that the Sunni-backed political coalition that is headed by his archrival and won the most seats in last month’s parliamentary election must be included in the country’s new government. The comments from Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, in an interview aired yesterday, appear to offer an olive branch to former premier Ayad Allawi and his secular Iraqiya bloc as well as the Sunnis who overwhelmingly supported his rival.