Where Iraqis Stand on Constitution

Iraqis vote on Saturday in a referendum on a draft constitution proposed by the Shi'ite- and Kurdish-led parliament but opposed by many in the once dominant Sunni Arab minority.

Here is how the main movements view the vote:

RULING COALITION

SHI'ITES

ISLAMIC DAWA PARTY - Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari's Shi'ite Islamist party has played a central role in drafting the constitution; Jaafari has called for "maximum effort" to ensure the charter is passed.

SUPREME COUNCIL FOR THE ISLAMIC REVOLUTION IN IRAQ - Seen as the power behind the Shi'ite Islamist coalition, SCIRI leader Abdul Aziz al-Hakim has told followers it is their "religious duty" to vote "Yes". Formed in exile in Iran to oppose Saddam Hussein, SCIRI denies accusations of taking guidance from Tehran or of condoning Shi'ite militia death squads.

IRAQI NATIONAL CONGRESS - Led by secular Shi'ite Ahmad Chalabi, a U.S. favourite in exile who fell out with Washington after the 2003 invasion. Chalabi has overall charge of Iraq's oil industry and has backed the constitution's provisions for a federal state, which Sunnis fear could result in oil-rich Shi'ite and Kurdish areas depriving them of prosperity.

KURDS

PATRIOTIC UNION OF KURDISTAN - President Jalal Talabani has worked hard to ease fears among fellow secular Iraqis and Sunnis that the constitution will usher in an Iranian-style Shi'ite Islamic state, promoting the charter as flawed but overall a guarantee of a democratic and pluralistic federal government.

KURDISTAN DEMOCRATIC PARTY - Its leader, Massoud Barzani, is the head of the Kurdistan regional government and has taken a relatively uncompromising stance in support of the constitution as a guarantor of Kurdish autonomy after decades of oppression under Saddam Hussein.

PARLIAMENTARY OPPOSITION

SHI'ITES

IRAQI NATIONAL ACCORD - The party of former interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi. Like Chalabi -- a relative -- Allawi is a secular Shi'ite believed to harbour undimmed political aspirations. He has stressed the need for unity in Iraq and reached out to Sunnis as well as Shi'ite religious leaders to consolidate his support. He has backed the referendum, noting that, unlike the Koran, a constitution can be modified.

SUNNI OPPOSITION

IRAQI NATIONAL DIALOGUE - A coalition of Sunni political parties, many of which boycotted the vote for the transitional government in January. Sunni leaders fear the constitution will split Iraq up and give an unfair share of power and oil resources to Shi'ites and Kurds. But they have failed to agree on how to oppose the document, with some groups insisting on a boycott to rob the vote of legitimacy, and others saying a massive Sunni "No" vote was the only way to properly defeat it.

IRAQI ISLAMIC PARTY - The only Sunni opposition group that participated in the political process before withdrawing from it before January elections. The group says the draft charter fails to promote national unity or guarantee the rights of all Iraqis.

MUSLIM CLERICS' ASSOCIATION - An influential group of Sunni scholars who hold sway over many Sunnis, especially in the western Anbar province, the heartland of the insurgency. Leaders in the group believe the constitution threatens Iraqi unity and will undermine its Arab identity.

IRAQIS PARTY - A secular party led by Vice President Ghazi al-Yawar, the country's top ranking Sunni politician. Yawar, named by the United States as president in the former caretaker government in 2004, has expressed doubts about the constitution which he has described as a Shi'ite and Kurdish plan "far from the aspirations of all Iraqi people". He has suggested he may urge followers to vote "No", but has not yet done so publicly.

OTHER VOICES

GRAND AYATOLLAH ALI AL-SISTANI - Iraq's most revered Shi'ite cleric based in the holy city of Najaf. Sistani approved the formation of the United Iraqi Alliance which scored best in the last election in January, and his support is seen by Washington as crucial to moving its plans for Iraq forward. Sistani rarely makes explicit pronouncements on political issues, but has nevertheless been said by aides to support the constitution and this message has been disseminated in mosques. He has, however, told his aides to avoid party politics in future.

MOQTADA AL-SADR - Supporters of this hardline nationalist Shi'ite cleric have twice battled U.S. and British troops in the past year, and he remains a fierce opponent of foreign involvement in Iraqi affairs. Early indications were that Sadr would oppose the constitution as a foreign invention and in August 100,000 Sadr supporters protested against the charter in rallies across Iraq. In recent weeks, however, Sadr's position appears to have changed and Iraqi political analysts say an open call for a "No" vote now looks unlikely.

HARDCORE OPPONENTS

IRAQI GUERRILLAS - Tens of thousands on Sunni Arab nationalists, including diehard followers and agents of Saddam Hussein as well as tribal leaders, have taken up arms to end U.S. occupation and assert Sunni minority power against the new government. They reject the entire political process as an American creation. In other respects, their political goals are similar to hardline Sunni political leaders.

ISLAMIST MILITANTS - Include al Qaeda in Iraq and allied groups, responsible for some of the bloodiest attacks; foreign fighters number about 1,000 today, Iraqi officials say. They have worked in alliance with local insurgents, supplying, among other things, young Arabs for other countries willing to die as suicide bombers. However, there are signs of strain with the locals. Qaeda spokesmen, who U.S. officials accuse of seeking to foment civil war in Iraq to thwart Washington, have issued statements denouncing the constitution as un-Islamic and warned they will attack polling stations on voting day.