Najaf tribes to compete against religious parties in provincial elections

From the Iraq the Model blog:
A large coalition of tribes in Najaf conferred and made a decision similar to that by the Anbar tribes last week.In televised interviews, tribal chiefs said they will join forces with technocrats and enter the upcoming provincial elections in slates independent from existing religious parties.The sheiks voiced their frustration with the outcome of previous elections in which religious parties prevailed. They also criticized the current political class for “ripping apart” the fabric of Iraq’s society, pushing the country to the brink of civil war and failure to provide services to the people. (more)