Shafaq News / The Coordination Framework (CF) stressed, on Tuesday, the need to choose a new President and form a government as soon as possible.

Earlier today, CF held a meeting with Azm coalition, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, the Babylon movement, and the independent MPs, at the office of the State of Law coalition leader, Nuri al-Maliki.

A statement by the Framework said that the meeting discussed the current political process, stressing the need to choose a new President and form a government as soon as possible.

The CF called on all political parties to engage in dialogue, expressing readiness to hold talks with all of them to form a "strong and capable" government.

The members of the Sadrist bloc in Iraq's parliament resigned earlier today after their leader, powerful Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, asked them to step down amid a prolonged stalemate over forming a government.

Al-Sadr's party was the biggest winner in an October general election, increasing the number of seats it holds in parliament to 73. But political disagreement among parties has hindered the parliament from electing a president and forming a government.

Al-Sadr, a populist who has positioned himself as a staunch opponent of both Iran and the US, said in a handwritten statement that his request to lawmakers to resign was “a sacrifice from me for the country and the people to rid them of the unknown destiny”.

Soon after, the parliamentary speaker accepted the resignations.

In a video shown on Iraq's state news agency INA, Speaker Mohammed al-Halboosi was seen signing the lawmakers' resignations.