(AP Photo/Khalid Mohammed)

BAGHDAD (AP) — Lawmakers say a broad alliance of political opponents of the Iraqi prime minister has failed to persuade the country's president to take a first step toward unseating the premier.

Nouri al-Maliki's Shiite-dominated ruling coalition is increasingly shaky. One coalition member, the Sunni-dominated Iraqiya movement, has long complained about being shut out of power. Recently, two other groups — Kurds and the hard-line Shiite followers of cleric Muqtada al-Sadr — have threatened to defect.

On Wednesday, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani met with Kurdish, Sunni and Sadrist politicians.

Kurdish lawmaker Mahmud Othman says participants failed to persuade Talabani to make a first move against al-Maliki — asking the parliament to schedule a vote of no-confidence in the government.

Associated Press
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