// BEGIN editorial data var i = 0; var IraqVote_051215 = new Array(); IraqVote_051215.ID = "IraqVote_051215"; IraqVote_051215.ID_WB = 10280262; IraqVote_051215.sPubDate = "12/15/2005 1:30:07 PM GMT"; IraqVote_051215.navsectionID = "3042923" IraqVote_051215.appFmt = 2; IraqVote_051215.itemsPerPage = "1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,12"; IraqVote_051215.appWidth = 624; IraqVote_051215.appHeader = "fact file|The politics of Iraq"; IraqVote_051215.appDeck = "On Dec. 15, Iraqis choose members for a new National Assembly. Click below for the key figures to have emerged since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein, including those inside and outside the political process, as well as the main parties and a timeline since the U.S.-led invasion."; IraqVote_051215.appNavStyle = 4; IraqVote_051215.appLayout = 3; IraqVote_051215.copyWidth = 450; IraqVote_051215.copyMargin = 9; IraqVote_051215[i++] = new Array("","Key players","","","","", "sub", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", ""); IraqVote_051215[i++] = new Array("","Ayad Allawi","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/z_Projects_in_progress/040601_iraqi_leaders/040601_allawi_app.small.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "Ceerwan Aziz", "Reuters file", "198", "157", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); IraqVote_051215[i-1].body = "
The former interim prime minister was the first person to hold the title after the fall of Saddam Hussein. Allawi led the Iraqi National Accord, which is now part of Iraqi List political party.
Religion: Shiite Muslim"; IraqVote_051215[i++] = new Array("","Ahmed Chalabi","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Interactives/_production/040622_iraq_gov/040622_chalabi_iraqgovapp.small.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "Str", "REUTERS", "198", "155", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); IraqVote_051215[i-1].body = "
Deputy Prime Minister, April 2005
Formerly served as interim oil minister
Chalabi created the three-member Iraqi National Congress in 1992, a U.S.-backed group that sought the overthrow of Saddam’s government. Once close to Pentagon policymakers, Chalabi fell out of favor in Washington shortly after the fall of Saddam. He is one of the leaders of the United Iraqi Alliance, which won a lion’s share of the seats in parliament in the January 2005 elections.
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Speaker of Parliament, April 2005
Iraqi-born and American-educated, Hassani was active the anti-Saddam movement. He supported the U.S.-led assault on Fallujah in late 2004, drawing anger from fellow Sunnis and leading to his expulsion from the Iraqi Islamic Party, which also withdrew from a role in government.
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Prime Minister, 2005
He is also one of the leaders of the United Iraqi Alliance, which won more than 48 percent of the vote in the January 2005 elections.
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President, Iraqi Transitional Government, named by the Iraqi National Assembly on April 6, 2005
Previously, Talibani founded the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan and served as its secretary general. Kurds comprise 15 to 20 percent of Iraq’s population and are the country’s largest minority group.
Religion: Qadiri Sufi Muslim
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Vice President, named by the Iraqi National Assembly on April 6, 2005
Formerly served as interim president, named by the Iraqi Governing Council on April 1, 2004. Al-Yawer led the political party, The Iraqis, and garnered 150,000 votes, or two percent of ballots cast nationwide.
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After Saddam was overthrown in 2003, al-Sadr reaped the rewards of his father’s popularity and quickly was considered “a symbol of resistance” against occupying forces. Al-Sadr has said he wants to create an “Islamic democracy,” although some believe the cleric is committed to creating a theocracy. In April 2004, al-Sadr was identified as instigating a revolt against coalition forces, leading him to be declared an “outlaw” by the Coalition Provisional Authority. Polls have shown him as recently as June 2005 to be the third most popular figure in Iraq, with two-thirds of respondents saying they supported him.
Religion: Shiite Muslim"; IraqVote_051215[i++] = new Array("","Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Interactives/_production/040622_iraq_gov/040622_sistani_iraqgovapp.small.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "Str", "REUTERS", "198", "143", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); IraqVote_051215[i-1].body = "
One of the most influential figures in Iraq following the overthrown of Saddam, al-Sistani is a respected religious authority who has instructed Shiite clergy to avoid politics but is said to tacitly support the United Iraqi Alliance.
Religion: Shiite Muslim"; IraqVote_051215[i++] = new Array("","Abu Musab al-Zarqawi","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Interactives/_production/040622_iraq_gov/040623_zarqawi_iraqgovapp.small.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "AP", "198", "141", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); IraqVote_051215[i-1].body = "
The Jordanian-born leader of al-Qaida in Iraq, al-Zarqawi has openly declared “a fierce war on this evil principle of democracy” and Shia Muslims. The U.S. has placed $25 million bounty on his head. The Islamic militant and his group have claimed responsibility for numerous suicide bombings, assassinations, kidnappings and beheadings. He also made it clear that al-Qaida opposes elections in Iraq because they will result in a Shiite-dominated government.
Religion: Sunni Muslim"; IraqVote_051215[i++] = new Array("","Political parties","","","","", "sub", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", ""); IraqVote_051215[i++] = new Array("","United Iraqi Alliance","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", ""); IraqVote_051215[i-1].body = "
Known as the 555 List because of its position on the ballot, the largest and most successful party so far is a coalition of mainstream Shia religious and secular groups and is said to enjoy the support of Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, as well as supporters of Muqtada al-Sadr. It garnered more than 48 percent of the vote in Iraq’s 2005 elections, earning 140 seats in the 275-member Iraqi National Assembly."; IraqVote_051215[i++] = new Array("","Democratic Patriotic Alliance of Kurdistan","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", ""); IraqVote_051215[i-1].body = "
Comprised of the Kurdish Democratic Party and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, the party’s candidates will vie for seats in the 275-member Iraqi National Assembly as well as the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government. The party received nearly 26 percent of the 2005 Iraqi elections and won 75 spots in the National Assembly."; IraqVote_051215[i++] = new Array("","The Iraqi List ","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", ""); IraqVote_051215[i-1].body = "
The political party is mostly comprised of secular Shiites and its best-known member is former prime minister Ayad Allawi. The party received nearly 14 percent of the vote in the 2005 election and 40 seats in the National Assembly of Iraq."; IraqVote_051215[i++] = new Array("","The Iraqis","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", ""); IraqVote_051215[i-1].body = "
Led by Vice President Ghazi al-Yawer, the largely Sunni political party known as The Iraqis consists of top Sunni tribal leaders. They earned five seats in the Iraqi National Assembly, or less than 2 percent of votes in the 2005 election. "; IraqVote_051215[i++] = new Array("","Key Dates","","","","", "sub", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", ""); IraqVote_051215[i++] = new Array("","Political timeline","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", ""); IraqVote_051215[i-1].body = ""; IraqVote_051215[i++] = new Array("","March 20, 2003","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", ""); IraqVote_051215[i-1].body = "U.S.-led invasion to oust Saddam Hussein"; IraqVote_051215[i++] = new Array("","May 1, 2003","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", ""); IraqVote_051215[i-1].body = "President Bush declares \"major combat operations in Iraq have ended.\""; IraqVote_051215[i++] = new Array("","Dec. 13, 2003","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", ""); IraqVote_051215[i-1].body = "Saddam Hussein is captured near his hometown of Tikrit."; IraqVote_051215[i++] = new Array("","March 1, 2004","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", ""); IraqVote_051215[i-1].body = "U.S.-appointed Governing Council agrees on a new constitution"; IraqVote_051215[i++] = new Array("","May 28, 2004","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", ""); IraqVote_051215[i-1].body = "Ayad Allawi named interim prime minister"; IraqVote_051215[i++] = new Array("","June 28, 2004","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", ""); IraqVote_051215[i-1].body = "U.S. hands over power to an interim Iraqi government"; IraqVote_051215[i++] = new Array("","Aug. 18, 2004","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", ""); IraqVote_051215[i-1].body = "National Conference select 100 members of an interim assembly"; IraqVote_051215[i++] = new Array("","Jan. 30, 2005","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", ""); IraqVote_051215[i-1].body = "Iraqis vote in national elections to choose a transitional assembly"; IraqVote_051215[i++] = new Array("","Oct. 15, 2005","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", ""); IraqVote_051215[i-1].body = "Iraqis vote to approve a new constitution"; IraqVote_051215[i++] = new Array("","Dec. 15, 2005","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", ""); IraqVote_051215[i-1].body = "Iraqis choose members for a national assembly to serve for four years"; // END editorial data