Iraq's president Jalal Talabani has asked the Shia politician Jawad al-Maliki to form the country's next government.
The move is aimed at ending the political deadlock since last December's election, and healing sectarian divisions that have threatened to drag Iraq into civil war.
The dominant Shia bloc picked Mr Maliki as its nominee yesterday. He replaces Ibrahim al-Jafaari, whose nomination was broadly opposed.
Earlier in the year, Iraqi MPs elected President Talabani, who is a Kurd, to a second term in office.
