BAGHDAD, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi president Jalal Talabani asked Shiite politician Jawad al-Maliki to form the next government on Saturday.

    "I would like to inform the brothers and sisters that we decided unanimously to endorse our dear brother Nouri Jawad al-Maliki to head the cabinet," Talabani said in parliament. Al-Maliki has 30 days to present his cabinet list to parliament for approval.

    This move put an end to the long political impasse over prime minister nominee, which blocked the formation of a coalition government over four months after the historic parliamentary elections.

    The majority Shiite alliance decided on Friday to name al-Maliki as candidate for the premiership after the outgoing Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari was forced to withdraw his candidacy because of strong opposition from Sunni and Kurdish parties.

    Moments earlier, the Iraqi parliament reelected Jalal Talabani,a veteran Kurdish politician, as Iraq's president shortly after Sunni Arab politician Mahmoud al-Mashhadani was elected the new parliament speaker.

    The 275-seat Iraqi parliament convened its second session in Baghdad's heavily-fortified Green Zone on Saturday since a formal parliamentary election were held on Dec. 15 last year. Adnan Pachachi, the oldest member and acting speaker of the parliament, called the session "a crucial step in Iraq's democratic process".

    Mahmoud al-Mashhadani won 159 votes out of the 266 lawmakers who were present at the session with 10 abstained and 97 votes spoiled.

    This session was postponed twice last week to give more time to break the deadlock over prime minister nominee. Enditem