UNITED IRAQI ALLIANCE
The United Iraqi Alliance is a broad-based coalition of over 20 groups, but it is dominated by the two major Shia parties, Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari's Islamic Daawa Party, and Abd al-Aziz Hakim's Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI).

UNITED IRAQI ALLIANCE
Al-Sadr Bloc
Al-Shabak Democratic Grouping
Badr Organisation
Centre Grouping Party
Community of Justice
Hezbollah Movement in Iraq
Iraqi Democrats Movement
Islamic Daawa Party
Islamic Daawa Party - Iraq Organisation
Islamic Master of the Martyrs Movement
Islamic Union for Iraqi Turkomans
Islamic Virtue Party
Justice and Equality Grouping
Malhan Al Mukatir
Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq
The Free of Iraq
Turkoman Loyalty Movement

The UIA won a narrow majority of 140 seats out of a total 275 seats in the Transitional National Assembly in January.

For December's poll, the alliance has been joined by parties supporting radical Shia cleric Muqtada Sadr.

The alliance's platform calls for national unity, the enforcement of the new constitution, the end of the US-led coalition's presence, the de-politicisation of government institutions, and the formation of regional governments.

The bloc is likely to again capitalise on support from Iraq's Shia majority, but its success may be tempered by the decision of Ayatollah Ali Sistani, Iraq's most revered cleric, not to give the alliance his explicit support.

The group's coalition government has also been criticised for poor performance.


KURDISTAN ALLIANCE
The Kurdistan Alliance (KA) brings together the two dominant Kurdish parties, Massoud Barzani's Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and President Jalal Talabani's Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK).

KURDISTAN ALLIANCE
Chaldean Democratic Union Party
Kurdistan Communist Party
Kurdistan Democratic Party
Kurdistan Islamic Group / Iraq
Kurdistan Labour Party
Kurdistan Socialist Democratic Party
Patriotic Union of Kurdistan
Turkoman Brotherhood Party / Iraq

The KA formed the second largest bloc in the Transitional National Assembly, while the two parties' joint list took 90% of the vote in the Kurdish parliament.

The alliance seeks to represent and advance Kurdish interests in the Iraqi parliament and campaigns under the slogan: "Our votes, our future".

It wants freedom, democracy, and further political and constitutional gains for all Iraqi citizens irrespective of their ethnic, political, or religious affiliations.

The KA was hit by the withdrawal of the Kurdistan Islamic Union, which complained about the KDP and PUK's dominance of Kurdish political life. Despite this, the alliance is likely to retain its share of the vote in Kurdistan.

It may face a challenge in the more ethnically-mixed provinces where Sunni Arabs are expected to vote in increased numbers compared to January.


IRAQI NATIONAL LIST
The Iraqi National List is a secular nationalist alliance made up of Sunnis and Shias led by former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi.

IRAQI NATIONAL LIST
Arab Socialist Movement
Central Euphrates Grouping
Democratic al-Qasimi Grouping
Independent Iraqi Association
Independent Iraqi Sheikhs Council
Iraqi Communist Party
Iraqi Independent Democrats Grouping
Iraqi National Accord Movement
Iraqi Republican Grouping
Iraqiyun (Iraqis)
League of Iraqi Turkoman Tribes and Notables
Loyalty to Iraq Grouping
National List
The Free Unity Party

Mr Allawi's party, the Iraqi National Accord Movement, is joined by Hamid Musa's Iraqi Communist Party, the Iraqiyun party of former President Ghazi al-Yawer and National Assembly Speaker Hajim al-Hassani, and veteran politician Adnan al-Pachachi's Independent Democrats Grouping.

The list claims to "represent all of Iraq and not just one party".

It wants to build a democratic, secular and modern Iraq, with strong security forces and good relations with its neighbours.

During the election campaign, Mr Allawi has emphasised his track record as interim prime minister.

In contrast to the ineffective UIA-KA coalition government, he says, the Iraqi National List will "make a decision and implement it".


IRAQI NATIONAL CONGRESS LIST
Deputy Prime Minister Ahmed Chalabi's Iraqi National Congress stood as part of the UIA for the January 2005 elections.

IRAQI NATIONAL CONGRESS LIST
Democratic Iraqi Grouping
Democratic Joint Action Front
First Democratic National Party
Independent List
Iraqi Constitutional Movement
Iraqi Constitutional Party
Iraqi National Congress
Tariq Abd al-Karim Al Shahd al-Budairi
Turkoman Decision Party

However, the INC withdrew from the alliance in November 2005 because of disagreements over some parties' calls for the creation of an Islamic state in Iraq.

Mr Chalabi formed an alliance that advocates a democratic, pluralistic, federal government.

He says there is a need to broaden the political process and offer Iraqis new options.

In addition to Mr Chalabi's party, the Iraqi National Congress List includes Sherif Ali Bin al-Hussein's Constitutional Monarchy party and two ministers in the transitional government.

It also includes former senior UIA member, Sheikh Fawaz al-Jarba.


IRAQI ACCORD FRONT
The Iraqi Accord Front was formed by three Sunni parties: Mohsen Abd al-Hamid's Iraqi Islamic Party, the General Council for the People of Iraq led by senior Sunni cleric Adnan al-Dulaimi, and the Iraqi National Dialogue Council, a powerful bloc of Sunni parties headed by Khalaf al-Ulayyan. Nevertheless, the front has denied it is sectarian.

IRAQI ACCORD FRONT
Iraqi Islamic Party
General Council for the People of Iraq
Iraqi National Dialogue Council

The front has called on Sunni Arabs to take part in December's poll and has rejected a boycott. Sunni Arab parties largely boycotted last January's parliamentary elections.

It wants to increase Sunni representation in the new National Assembly, which is currently dominated by Shia and Kurdish parties.

A statement by the front stressed the importance of ending the "occupation", boosting Iraq's national identity and setting up a committee to review the new constitution. It wants to repeal laws relating to de-Baathification and the dissolution of Iraq's armed forces.


OTHER COALITIONS
Al-Rafidayn (Mesopotamia) National Movement - led by Younadem Yusuf Kana

Democratic Society Movement - led by Hamid al-Kifai

Free Officers and Civilians Movement - led by Najib al-Salihi

Future Iraq Grouping - led by Ibrahim Bahr al-Uloum

Iraqi Front for National Dialogue - led by Saleh al-Mutlaq

Iraqi National Peace List - led by Laith Kubba

Iraqi Nation List - led by Mithal al-Alusi

Iraq Pledge Coalition - led by Rand Rahim Francke

Kurdistan Islamic Union - led by Salah al-Din Muhammad Baha al-Din

National Democratic Coalition - led by Abid Faisal al-Sahlani

Nationalists Grouping- led by Hatim Jasim Mukhlis

National House of Commons List - led by Khadr Abd al-Aziz Hasan al-Duri

Parliament of the Iraqi National Forces - led by Hazim Shaalan

Rally of Independent Iraq's Capabilities - led by Ali al-Dabbagh

Reconciliation and Liberation Bloc - led by Mishaan al-Juburi

Sun of Iraq List - led by Tawfiq al-Yasiri