Middle East Economic Survey

VOL. XLVII

No 49

6-December-2004

The Political Scene (6 December 2004)

Iraqs Sunnis and Kurds have asked for elections to be postponed but their demand has been refused by the countrys Shi'a majority. Marwan Barghuti has decided to run for the Palestinian presidency from his Israeli prison cell. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is seeking to restore his parliamentary majority by forming a coalition with the opposition Labour party. After some last minute haggling,...