Jaafari, Abdul Mahdi compete to be Iraq's Prime Minister

While the Shiite leader in Iraq Abdul Aziz al-Hakim continues his consultations with the Kurdish leaders in Kurdistan district over the formation of the next Iraqi government, the leading figure in al-Dawa (call) party Walid al-Heli announced that the party nominated its leader Ibrahim al-Jaafari to preside over the next government, noting that this nomination meets the desire of the Shiite religious leader.

On the other hand, a source in the Shiite coalition said that the competition over the post of the prime minister will be limited between Jaafari and the current vice president Adel Abdul Mahdi.

The source said that the competition will be heated between the two candidates and might be decided in an internal vote by the coalition.

Jaafari won the support of al-Dawa party and may be from the trend of the Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sader, but his nomination might also face an opposition from the Kurdish leaders who blame him for not providing enough support for their special demand to control the oil-rich northern city of Karkouk.

However, Abdul Mahdi will win the support of another main party in the Shiite coalition, which is the Higher Council For The Islamic Revolution in Iraq led by Abdul Aziz al-Hakim. Abdul Mahdi, an economist, maintains good relations with the Kurds and is viewed by Washington as a moderate Islamist.