Maliki calls for 'majority' government to change Iraq

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al- Maliki said on Saturday that his coalition aims to form a " majority" government after the upcoming parliamentary elections so as to make a "change" to the crisis-ridden country. "Together we can reform the political process because in such process we can't move. We have to make a change on the bases of the constitution to meet the expectation of our people," al-Maliki said at an election rally of his State of Law Coalition in Baghdad. The State of Law Coalition is campaigning under the goal of forming a governing majority, saying internal conflicts in the current power-sharing "partnership" government are causing political, economic and security crises in Iraq. A governing majority "will make decisions in the Council of Representatives and in the government without haggling and crippling by putting sticks in the wheels," al-Maliki said. "We have to reconsider and correct the political process by achieving the majority." But some critics say the definition of the so-called majority government is ambiguous. If it means a government only by Shiites, it would be dangerous and unrealistic in Iraq, which is a diversified country. Many local observers believe that the mainly Shiite State of Law Coalition will possibly lead in the elections this time but still be far away from securing a majority, as it faces severe challenges from other electoral entities, including rival Shiite blocs. More than 9,000 candidates from nearly 280 political entities are vying for the 328 parliamentary seats in Iraq's April 30 general election, the first since the withdrawal of U.S. troops from the country by the end of 2011.