[JURIST] AP is reporting that Iraq's electoral commission [official website, English version] has certified the final results of the January 30 election, giving a Shiite Muslim grouping the most seats of any party in the new National Assembly.

12:45 PM ET – United Iraqi Alliance leaders have reportedly failed to come to agreement on a candidate for prime minister. Leaders will instead decide a two-man race between Ibrahim al-Jafari and Ahmad Chalabi [BBC News profiles] by secret ballot on Friday. Although the United Iraqi Alliance party won a numeric majority of seats in the national assembly, according to official results released [Reuters report] Thursday, the party lacks the two-thirds majority needed to act in the drafting of the country's constitution. The party is expected to form a coalition with the leading Kurdish party, Patriotic Union of Kurdistan [official website]. AP has more.