Iraq's 100 National Assembly members elected

The national conference selected the representatives who will lead country till 2005 elections.

Baghdad (AsiaNews) – After four days delegates to Iraq's national conference selected the members of the new interim National Assembly that will lead the country till elections scheduled for January 2005.

The interim National Assembly has 100 members. It will supervise and advise the current Allawi government. Its powers include the right to veto bills by a two third majority, approve the 2005 budget, and appoint the prime minister and the president in case of the incumbent's death or resignation.

This is a further crucial step in the country's UN-sponsored process of democratisation.

The conference of 1,300 delegates faced many divisive issues such as how to select the members of the National Assembly, smaller parties' fears of marginalisation, the Najaf crisis and the continuing violence in Baghdad. And in the end it lasted a day longer than scheduled. (DS)

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