BAGHDAD, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi parliament members convened on Saturday in Baghdad, expecting to approve a nomination of Shiite leader Jawad al-Maliki for the premiership.

    The repeatedly-delayed session came one day after Iraq's Shiite Alliance nominated al-Maliki to replace incumbent Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari as the next premier, paving the way for the formation of a new government in the country's political process.

    Al-Maliki, a tough-talking Shiite leader and a key ally of al-Jaafari, is also from the Shiite Dawa party.

    If approved by the Iraqi parliament, the new Iraqi premier will have 30 days to form the new government. Enditem