THERE are 21 coalitions contesting the election on Dec. 15. Five groups are likely to dominate the race: the Shia Islamist Alliance, the Kurdish bloc, at least two blocs of Sunni parties and a secular coalition unveiled on Saturday by former prime minister Iyad Allawi.
Following are the main groups:
* United Iraqi Alliance — The main force in government, the Shia list includes 17 parties and groups, including the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq headed by Abdul Aziz al-Hakim and the Dawa party of Prime Minister Ibrahim al Jaafari. Other Shia and Turkmen groups on board include the movement of the fiery Shia cleric Moqtada al Sadr. The list won the majority of the seats in January’s election, but is now threatened by disillusionment at its performance in government.
* Kurdistan Alliance — Includes Iraq’s two main Kurdish parties, the Kurdistan Democratic Party headed by Masoud Barazani and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan lead by Iraqi President Jalal Talabani. The Kurdish bloc joined the Shia alliance in a coalition government after the January elections.
* Iraqi National List - Includes Iraq’s former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, a secular Shia, who is lobbying to get his old job back. Allawi, who won 14 per cent of votes in January’s elections, has warned that if the Shia Islamists win again, sectarian strife will deepen and destabilise the whole Middle East. The slate includes the communist party and Sunnis such as vice-president Ghazi al-Yawar, parliamentary speaker Hajem al-Hassani and Adnan Pachachi.
* Iraqi Accordance Front - Includes three main Sunni parties — the Iraqi Islamic Party, Sunni Gathering and Iraqi National Dialogue. These parties are running for the first time on a single list after not taking part in January’s elections. Most Sunnis boycotted January’s elections.
* Iraqi Unified Front - Another Sunni list which includes Saleh Mutlak, who rejected the referendum which ratified the constitution and said that the results were “forged”.
Other coalitions running in the elections are:
* Iraqi National Congress List - Headed by Ahmad Chalabi, a secular Shia, who was a member of the Shia coalition in January. Chalabi, once tipped to be a leader of Iraq before he fell out with his US backers, is a deputy prime minister in the present government.
* The Arabic List — Mainly nationalists.
* The Independent Kerbala Coalition — A mainly Shia list.
* List of Peace and Brotherhood
* The list of Iraqi Dialogue in Kirkuk — A mainly Arab list that is expected to run in Kirkuk province where ethnic tension between Arabs and Kurds is high.
* Islamic Alliance — Mainly Shia list that has the support of some Shia clerics.
* Coalition of Justice and Future.
* The National Nahrain list - A Christian list.
* Gathering for Loyalty to Basra — A Shia list.
* Nationalist-Human Rights - Includes mainly Iraqi NGOs and human rights groups.
* Mithal Al-Alousi list for Iraqi Nation
* Nationalists List.
* Sun of Iraq — A mixed list of Sunnis and Shias.
* Salvation Front - Includes nationalist groups.
* Cadres of Dawa Party and Popular Bases List - Mixed list but with Shia majority. * List of National Unity - A list with Sunni majority.—Reuters
