Spokesman: Iraqi PM to hold meeting on political crisis next week

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi will hold a meeting with political forces early next week to discuss the crisis resulting from the recent parliament elections and efforts to form the country’s next government.

Iraqi Mawazin News quoted Hussein al-Adly, a spokesperson of Abadi’s al-Nasr alliance, saying that “the meeting will be held early next week, and there are big arrangements for that purpose”.

According to the spokesperson, “the meeting will comprise ten winning electoral lists, and will not tackle the issue of challenges to the elections”.

Iraqi parliament elections were held mid May, the first after the defeat of Islamic State militants following a three-year war. But several political parties challenged the integrity of the electric voting system, urging a manual recount. The calls, and ensuing parliament resolutions and  judicial verdicts supporting them, caused a split among political groups.

Last week, Abadi, whose list came third according to the official results, urged a meeting with political blocs, to discuss efforts to form the next government.