Iraq's outgoing Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki on Monday lambasted as a "constitutional breach" the nomination of Deputy Parliament Speaker Dr. Haider Al-Abadi as new prime minister.
"The decision, announced by President Fuad Masum (earlier today), to designate Al-Abadi as head of the new government is a breach of the constitution and a setback which we will correct," Al-Maliki said in a televised speech.
"The designation is null and void since it falls outside the legal and constitutional frameworks and reflects a bunch of glaring inconsistencies," he affirmed.
He wished the president reconsidered his decision before proceeding with it.
Noting that the State of Law Coalition holds the parliamentary majority with 103 seats after winning more than three million votes in the last parliamentary elections, he reaffirmed the alliance's right to nominate the head of government.
Al-Maliki also criticized the US stance on Al-Abadi's designation, saying: "The US, though a democratic country, sided with a breach of the Iraqi constitution." National Iraqi Alliance (NIA) which includes Al-Maliki's State of Law Coalition and Al-Abadi's Daawa Party, spurned Al-Maliki's bids for a new term in office and nominated Al-Abadi to the post.