The surest test for the strength of any fledgling parliamentary democracy is the peaceful transfer of power after an election or a stable coalition government resulting from compromises made by the largest parties in parliament.
Iraq is that juncture (again?). Former PM Ayad Allawi’s coalition has won 2 seats more than the current PM Nouri Al Maliki’s party. None of the parties has a clear majority and a broad-based coalition government seems highly unlikely in the near future. Further, Al Maliki has vowed to challenge the results and is determined to remain in power.
So, what’s going to happen next? An extended period of horse-trading, as it happened in ‘05? Or, another Saddam Hussein?
