Iraqi parliament endorses Maliki government

AFP - Iraq's parliament on Tuesday gave Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's government a vote of confidence and adopted a 43-point programme aimed at liberalising the economy and fighting terrorism.

Parliament in separate votes gave its approval to Maliki, three deputy prime ministers and 29 other cabinet ministers, as well as the government programme.

Maliki's compromise government, which is still incomplete, was hammered out after months of political deadlock and wrangling.

Ex-premier Iyad Allawi's Iraqiya bloc narrowly won March 7 elections with 91 seats in the 325-member parliament, followed by Maliki's State of Law Alliance with 89.

Neither was able to muster the majority needed to form a government, despite back-door negotiations with various Shiite, Sunni and Kurdish blocs that also picked up seats.

But a power-sharing pact was agreed on November 10 which paved the way for Maliki to serve a second term as prime minister of the conflict-riven country.