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BAGHDAD (AP) — Opponents of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki have failed to muster enough support to bring him down in a vote of no confidence, Iraq’s president said in a statement posted on his website Sunday.

Al-Maliki, a Shiite, faces a growing challenge from Sunni and Kurdish parties as well as other Shiites within his unity government who accuse him of monopolizing power.

But al-Maliki also has allies such as President Jalal Talabani, a Kurd, whose office must affirm that a petition for a no-confidence vote has enough signatures. Talabani’s refusal to ratify the no-confidence campaign’s letter is a setback for al-Maliki’s opponents, although the constitution gives them other ways of trying for the vote.

Coalition rebels said in a statement they would keep trying toTHEunseatNOTESal-Maliki and to “put an end to the monopoly (on power) and domination” by the prime minister.



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