BAGHDAD: Leaders from Iraq's Shiite political bloc chose lawmaker Jawad al-Maliki from the fundamentalist Dawa Party on Friday as their candidate for prime minister, Shiite MP Bassem Sharif said.
"Six of the seven leaders of the Shiite alliance member parties gave their consent in favour of Maliki," Sharif of the Fadhila Party said.
The Fadhila Party, the seven party in the Shiite United Iraqi Alliance, rejected Maliki in favour of their candidate Nadim Juburi.
The UIA, the most powerful bloc in parliament with 128 seats, approved Maliki following the decision on Thursday by Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari to step down if the alliance asked for it.
