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Parliament Approves Iraqi Prime Minister's Resignation

Reuters

   BAGHDAD - Iraq's parliament voted on Sunday to accept the resignation
   of Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi, following weeks of violent
   anti-government protests that have rocked the country.

   Abdul Mahdi's decision to quit on Friday came after a call by Iraq's
   top Shi'ite Muslim cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali
   al-Sistani for parliament to consider withdrawing its support for Abdul
   Mahdi's government to stem the violence.
   "The Iraqi parliament will ask the president of state to nominate a new
   prime minister," a statement from parliament's media office said.

   Lawmakers said Abdul Mahdi's government, including the prime minister
   himself, would stay on in a caretaker capacity following Sunday's vote
   until a new government was chosen.
   Under the constitution, President Barham Salih is expected to ask the
   largest bloc in parliament to nominate a new prime minister to form a
   government, a move expected to trigger weeks of political wrangling.