Baghdad, Iraq (CNN) -- The Iraqi bloc that eked out a victory in the March 7 national election said it won't participate in any government headed by Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki.
Al-Iraqiya, the largely secular and cross-sectarian bloc headed by former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, issued the statement on Friday.
The pronouncement highlights a failure to form an Iraqi government, and Iraqi officials fear that insurgents would take advantage of the political vacuum by trying to reignite the Sunni-Shiite sectarian bloodshed that gripped Iraq for years.
The group said al-Maliki has been attempting to undermine al-Iraqiya.
"Al-Iraqiya believes that the current model of state administration, which is headed by Mr. Maliki, is void, and should not be repeated and al-Iraqiya will not participate in any government headed by Mr. Maliki," the group said.
Al-Iraqiya won 91 seats in March, beating out al-Maliki's State of Law Alliance by two votes. To form a government, a 163-seat majority of 325 seats in parliament is needed, but neither bloc has been able to form a governing coalition.
CNN
