Shi’ite leaders propose religious conservative PM

IRAQ’S main Shi’ite alliance proposed a religious conservative for prime minister yesterday, signalling that he will almost certainly get the job after the alliance’s success in last month’s election.

Ibrahim al-Jaafari, a religious Shi'ite and head of the Islamist Dawa Party, had faced competition from inside the alliance from former exile Ahmad Chalabi, once favoured by the US.

But Mr Chalabi withdrew as a candidate at a meeting in Baghdad and the alliance unanimously approved Mr Jaafari.