Prime Minister Maliki’s coalition for the national elections in January was announced today. It includes Sunnis, Kurds and Christians. The New York Times points out that the “headdresses of tribal leaders significantly outnumbered the turbans of clerics, a significant shift, given the religious and sectarian roots of Mr. Maliki’s own party, Dawa.”
As expected, Maliki will be playing the secularism card once again.
On Maliki emulating Saddam’s tactics, the Washington Post states: “Borrowing a page from former President Saddam Hussein, he also sought to curry the support of Iraq’s tribes, both Sunni and Shiite, who were lavished with jobs, cars and other patronage in the last decade of Hussein’s rule.”
The coalition isn’t what Maliki would have hoped it would be given that it doesn’t include any prominent Sunnis, Shias or Kurds. Still, negotiations are ongoing and others could join at some other point.
Here’s the makeup:
1. The Islamic Da’wah Party
2. The Islamic Da’wah Party-Iraq Organization
3. The Bloc of Independents
4. The Nasserite Socialist Movement
5. The National Democratic Coalition
6. The Grouping of the Thawrat al-Ishrin Grandsons [1920 Revolution Grandsons]
7. The Islamic Union of Iraq’s Turkoman
8. The Iraq Sha’baniyah Uprising Bloc
9. The Independent Arab Trend
10. The Al-Sha’baniyah Uprising – Board of Trustees
11. The National Renaissance Movement
12. The Turkomai Decision Party
13. The National Prosperity Bloc
14. The Justice and Renaissance Trend
15. The Independent Grouping of Iraq’s Competent People
16. The National List
17. The Al-Shabak Bloc
18. The National Banner Grouping
19. The Karbala Council for Chieftains and Dignitaries
20. The Islamic Solidarity Society
21. The Constitutional Movement.
22. The Unity Party
23. The First National Democratic Party
24.The Islamic Da’wah Movement
25. The Free Trend of Iraq for National Sovereignty
26. Our Sons Movement
27. The National Flag Grouping
28. For the Sake of Al-Muthanna Grouping
29. The Iraqi Initiative for Development
30. Al-Furat al-Awsat Grouping
31. Al-Nahrayn’s Competent People Grouping
32. Iraq’s Dignitaries Council
33. The National Coalition of the Bani-Tamim Assembly
34. The National Reform Movement
35. The Iraqi Independent Unified Bloc
36. The Fayli Kurds Bloc
37. The Iraqi Arab Grouping
38. The Independent Grouping of Sovereignty and Construction
39. The Loyalty to Al-Najaf Movement
40. The Independent Salvation Grouping
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