Sulaimaniyah: A senior Kurdish official says Kurdish lawmakers will discuss whether to throw their support behind Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and likely seal his bid for a second term.
The Kurds now hold the crucial seats that could give al-Maliki`s Shi’ite-led coalition a Parliament majority and the power to form a new government after a nearly seven-month political impasse.
The Kurdish official says the lawmakers plan to meet on Saturday — a day after al-Maliki`s bloc received a key boost from powerful Shi’ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.
The Kurds are likely to back al-Maliki, but have many demands that include greater influence over the oil-rich Kirkuk region.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not allowed to brief media.
Bureau Report
