United Iraqi Alliance

The United Iraqi Alliance is the electoral coalition that achieved the most votes (48.1%) in the January 30, 2005, National Assembly election in Iraq. The member groups of the coalition are listed below.

Related Topics:
January 30 - 2005 - National Assembly election - Iraq

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The alliance formed from many dissimiliar groups including mainstream Shi'a Islamic religious parties (including the Iraqi National Congress led by Ahmed Chalabi), liberal secularists (including a group led by nuclear physicist Hussain Shahristani), supporters of radical cleric Moqtada Sadr who prefer not to back his National Independent Cadres and Elites party, and a number of independent Sunni representatives. The coalition is generally believed to be supported by senior Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the most widely respected religious figure in Iraq, and although the Ayatollah has offered no official endorsement, many in Iraq understand the UIA to be "al-Sistani's list."

Related Topics:
Shi'a Islam - Iraqi National Congress - Ahmed Chalabi - Hussain Shahristani - Moqtada Sadr - National Independent Cadres and Elites - Sunni - Ayatollah - Ali al-Sistani

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Of over 8.46 million votes cast, the UIA received the preponderance at 4.08 million (48.1%), which gives the bloc 140 seats on Iraq's 275-seat National Assembly. Of the 140 seats the UIA garnered, 42 will go to women. In total, 86 women will hold seats in the new Iraqi parliament, which is the highest number in all of the Arab world.

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Many members of the Alliance lived in exile in Iran, including Ibrahim al-Jaafari who leads the Islamic Al-Da'wa Party and has emerged as the front-runner to become Iraq's Prime Minister. In 1980 thousands of Al-Da'wa Party supporters were imprisoned or executed after advocating replacing Saddam Hussein's secular Ba'ath Party government with an Islamic government. The Iranian leadership, which had successfully ousted Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi during the 1979 Islamic Revolution, was supportive of their efforts and allowed members of Al-Da'wa to seek exile in Iran. The strong ties the UIA has to Iran, a member of President of the United States George W. Bush's "Axis of Evil", is troubling to some; however, President Bush has expressed hope and offered the candidates and the Iraqi people a congratulatory message.

Related Topics:
Iran - Ibrahim al-Jaafari - Islamic Al-Da'wa Party - Prime Minister - Saddam Hussein - Ba'ath Party - Islamic government - Shah - Mohammad Reza Pahlavi - Islamic Revolution - President of the United States - George W. Bush - Axis of Evil

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In early March 2005, the Iraqi Turkmen Front agreed to join the UIA's caucus in the National Assembly according to Zaman Online. In return, Sistani reportedly pledged support for the recognition of Iraqi Turkmens as a national minority.

Related Topics:
Iraqi Turkmen Front - Iraqi Turkmens

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