The Financial Times quotes Rafik Hariri Center Nonresident Fellow Ramzy Mardini on the meeting held by Iraqi lawmakers to discuss the formation of a new government:
One scenario being discussed would see former chief-of-staff to Mr Maliki, Tariq Najm Abdullah, become prime minister, former deputy prime minister and head of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan Barham Salih would become president, and former parliamentarian Salim Jabouri would be speaker.“This package has not yet been finalised, and there remains a bit of hesitancy coming from the Shia side on coalescing around Tariq Najm, or at least officiating him as their candidate,” said Ramzy Mardini, a fellow at the Atlantic Council, a Washington think-tank. “The Shia want the Sunni to go first and name Jabouri, the Sunni want the Shia to go first.”
He said the decision on naming leaders could be postponed until a future session.