Speaking today amid rising tensions, Iraqiya bloc leader Ayad Allawi today reiterated his belief that his secular bloc should have the first crack at forming a government by virtue of netting the most seats in the March 7 election.
Technically speaking this is correct, though Iraqiya’s narrow plurality has since been destroyed by disqualifications and summary detentions, but his bloc seems destined to move into the opposition following this week’s announcement of an alliance between #2 and #3 seat getters the State of Law and Iraqi National Alliance.
Making matters even worse for Iraqiya, the fourth place bloc, made up of the largest parties in Kurdistan, has expressed its willingness to join the government made up of the two large Shi’ite religious blocs.
Though this probably closes the books on Ayad Allawi’s comeback and any chance he had at retaking the prime ministership this time around, the real question will be the reaction of his Sunni allies, who saw concerted efforts by the presumptive incoming government to arrest and harrass the people they elected, and after a brief glimmer of hope are seeing their factions return to political irrelevance.
