Consultations will now begin to appoint another prime minister within 15 days, the presidency said in a statement.
“Based on Article 76 of the constitution, the President embarks upon consultations to choose another candidate within 15 days and within the scope of his national and constitutional responsibilities,” the statement said.
In a televised speech at around midnight on Sunday, Allawi issued an “apology” and declared his inability to form a new government due to “political pressure”.
“As a sign of respect to the confidence that I was given when I was appointed to form the government, I promised that I would resign if I face any political pressure, because I had promised that I would form an independent government, devoid of political party representatives,” Allawi said.
Under the Iraqi constitution, Allawi had until March 2 to form his cabinet.
“I am calling on the president to accept my apology that I cannot carry out the responsibility I was given,” he added.
Salih approved the resignation and called on lawmakers to work “seriously” to agree on an alternative.
“President Salih calls upon lawmakers to work seriously to achieve a true national agreement on choosing an alternative prime minister who would be acceptable to the people within the period stipulated in the constitution in order to form a government capable of carrying out its tasks in light of the serious challenges facing Iraq,” the presidency said.
“The alternative figure who would be designated to form the interim government should be acceptable to both the people and lawmakers,” said Salih. “The interim government should abide by its obligations toward citizens, and it is entrusted with holding early parliamentary elections.”
Allawi’s resignation came after parliament failed – for the second time in one week – to vote on his cabinet.
Kurdish, Sunni, and some Shiite lawmakers deliberately boycotted parliamentary sessions so that the legislature failed to meet the necessary quorum to approve the cabinet.
They accused Allawi of blocking their choice of candidates and excluding them from power.
The Kurdish leadership repeatedly accused Allawi of sidelining the constitutional rights of the semiautonomous Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). On Sunday, the Kurds struck a deal with Sunni parties to block the cabinet vote.
Caretaker Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi resigned in November in the face of mass protests in Iraq’s southern and central provinces.
Abdul-Mahdi’s successor Allawi was given a free hand by Shiite parties to choose an independent cabinet on the condition that Kurds and Sunnis grant him the same freedom.
President Salih reiterated that the issue of electing a new prime minister and cabinet must be swiftly resolved to address Iraq’s political crisis.
“Security, political, and economic ramifications in addition to the health challenges facing Iraq, the region and the world oblige us to accelerate the resolving of the file of the interim government formation to protect the security and safety of citizens and to move toward achieving the reform project as an Iraqi national entitlement,” Salih said.
Although he has threatened to leave office on March 2 no matter what, Abdul-Mahdi appears to be staying on as caretaker prime minister for the time being.
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