Why did Iraq's Shiite National Alliance choose new leader?
After longtime disagreements, the Shiite National Alliance elects Ammar al-Hakim, the head of the Islamic Supreme Council, as president of the alliance, to revive and reorganize it.
BAGHDAD — The National Alliance, the largest predominantly Shiite political bloc that holds 185 out of 328 parliamentary seats, decided Sept. 5 to elect Ammar al-Hakim, the head of the Islamic Supreme Council, as its leader in an unexpected move that came without any news about the coalition's intention to choose a new president being previously published.
This suggests that there are political goals behind this decision as the alliance tries to revive itself by creating a strong political cohesion among its members in order to participate in the upcoming elections and preserve its historic achievements, knowing that it has been the largest political bloc in the post-2003 era. It appears that under a new consensus, Hakim will only be able to hold the post for a year.
