The Wataniya alliance led by Vice President Ayad Allawi has announced that it has agreed to form a Sunni parliamentary coalition capable of leading the parliament with the Al-Qarar alliance led by Khamis al-Khanjar.

Raad al-Dahlaki, a parliament member representing Wataniya, told Al-Monitor, “Both lists have the same orientations and objectives. Therefore, we agreed on unifying ourselves into a parliamentary bloc that may include other lists from Sunni provinces who won in the May 12 legislative elections.”

“Although the majority of those on the lists are Arab Sunnis, we believe in national principles and objectives and we do not adopt a sectarian platform. Moreover, the Iraqi fait accompli necessitates that we take part in the next government by agreement with Shiite and Kurdish blocs,” Dahlaki said.

The Wataniya list has 21 seats in the new parliament while Al-Qarar has 11. According to Dahlaki, negotiations are underway with the Baghdad Coalition (4 seats), Anbar Is Our Identity (6 seats), Ninevah Is Our Identity (3 seats), the Arab Coalition (3 seats), Abiroon (2 seats), Salahuddin Is Our Identity (1 seat), Flags of Goodness (2 seats), Al-Jamaheer al-Wataniya (2 seats) and Men of Iraq (1 seat). Therefore, the Sunni coalition could reach up to 56 seats.