After the Iraqi National Alliance forged an alliance with the State of Law bloc, it seemed a virtual certainty that the two Shi’ite religious parties would form the next government. Increasing rifts seem to be emerging between the two, however.

Today, a top INA member asserted that the next Prime Minister of Iraq would have to be from his bloc, and not from the State of Law. State of Law leader and current Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki insists he is the only choice possible.

The rift only gets deeper from there, as State of Law officials say that the INA’s dominant faction, the Sadr bloc, is making “unreasonable” demands, including the release of a large number of political prisoners and a formal end to the government’s crackdown on their group, in as much as they are in the government now.

Several members of the INA have been put forward as possible Prime Ministers, including Vice President Adil Abdelmahdi. State of Law figure Jaffar Sadr is also seen as a possible compromise candidate.

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