Iraqi PM to file complaint against president

Newly elected Masum did not task the PM and his State of Law Coalition to form the next cabinet

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said Sunday that he will file a legal complaint against newly-elected President Fuad Masum for violating the country's constitution.

In a nationally televised speech Sunday night, Maliki said the complaint will be submitted to the federal court as Masum did not task him and his State of Law Coalition to form the next cabinet, Xinhua reported.

Masum's attitude "is a coup on the country's constitution and political process," Maliki said, warning that "the president's deliberate violation of the constitution will have grave consequences on the unity, sovereignty, and independence of Iraq."

On July 24, Iraqi lawmakers elected Masum as the new president of Iraq, signalling an important progress in forming a new government in the violence-torn country.

according to Iraq's constitution, within two weeks of the president's appointment, he must ask the "largest bloc" in the parliament to nominate a prime minister to form new government, .