Maliki calls for early elections and revised law

Former prime minister Nouri Al-Maliki has explicitly called for early parliamentary elections by the end of the year, a demand he has long been suspected of supporting.

Maliki appeared in a prime-time interview last night, where he stated that the government had committed to holding early elections as part of the political agreement that brought it into office. He employed an unusual interpretation of the law, claiming that parliament was not required to dissolve itself to make way for elections but that it would automatically be dissolved on election day.

Maliki had previously refrained from openly declaring his support for early elections, claiming that if the political blocs favored it, he would not oppose it. But likely frustrated by the fact that no other party, including the Sadrists, has put their weight behind the move, Maliki has decided to spearhead the effort.