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Iraq’s PM-designate bows out, rockets hit near US embassy

  • Decision prolongs a political deadlock in the country that has been rocked by pro-reform protests for months
  • Iraq’s president intends to propose intelligence chief Mustafa al-Kazimi as premier

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Iraqi demonstrators with poster of Mohammad Allawi during an anti-government protest in the southern city of Nasiriyah. File photo: AFP

Iraq’s prime minister-designate Mohammad Allawi bowed out Sunday from the task of forming a government, as two rockets crashed near the US embassy in the capital’s Green Zone.

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Allawi’s departure prolongs a political vacuum and plunges Iraq deeper into political uncertainty, leaving President Barham Saleh with 15 days to propose a new candidate, whom he can name unilaterally without consulting parliament.

Responding to Allawi’s statement, Saleh said he has started consultations to name a replacement within the constitutional time frame.

Iraq has been in legal limbo since outgoing premier Adel Abdel Mahdi stepped down in December, as the constitution makes no provisions for such a resignation.

Allawi’s latest move also marks the first time a premier-designate has backed out of forming a government, which means that constitutional deadlines and legal procedures moving forward remain largely unclear.

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