By Waleed Ibrahim

BAGHDAD, Sept 19 (Reuters) - Iraq's Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki proposed on Wednesday forming a cabinet of technocrats to replace his splintering national unity government and called for greater powers to push through his nominations.

Maliki's 16-month-old government, which included Sunni and Shi'ite Arabs, Kurds, Islamists and secularists, has unravelled since a dozen Sunni and Shi'ite ministers quit.

"Instead of the current number of cabinet ministers we could form a technocratic, smaller government," Maliki told a news conference.

"To form such a government the prime minister should be given the full authority to nominate the minister he chooses."

Maliki has failed to win parliamentary approval to replace some of the ministers who quit his government.

The political paralysis has blocked passage of legislation aimed at helping to heal Iraq's sectarian divisions and curb a conflict in which tens of thousands have been killed.

The slow progress has frustrated U.S. President George W. Bush and led to stinging criticism of Maliki's government both in the United States and Iraq.

In the latest blow, the political movement loyal to Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, who was instrumental in Maliki's appointment as prime minister last year, pulled out of his parliamentary alliance on Saturday.

Maliki said in the short term, he still planned to try to fill some of the vacant ministries and would submit proposals to lawmakers whenever the opportunity arose.

"We have a list of ministers now but we need the approval of parliament," he said.

Tuesday's session of parliament was cancelled when only 108 members turned up, well short of the 138 needed for a quorum.

Appealing for unity from Iraq's feuding politicians, Maliki said power was "not a cake that we can share out.

"The political process needs to be unified to stand in the face of terrorism," he said.

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