Iraq’s largest bloc delays PM nominee decision to Wednesday

Iraq’s Coordination Framework, the largest political coalition in parliament, has delayed a final decision on its nominee for prime minister until Wednesday, the bloc’s Secretary-General Abbas al-Amiri announced on Monday. Following a meeting of the Shiite-led alliance, al-Amiri described the discussions as “positive,” but noted that selecting a candidate requires additional time. “All views regarding the candidate for prime minister were presented and discussed, but the issue requires more time,” he said in a statement carried by the state news agency INA. The bloc will hold another meeting on Tuesday before reaching a final result on Wednesday.

Constitutional timeline

The deliberations come as Iraqi political factions work to complete constitutional entitlements following the election of Nizar Amidi as president on April 11. Under Article 76 of Iraq’s constitution, the president must task the nominee of the largest parliamentary bloc with forming a government within 15 days of being elected. The Coordination Framework holds approximately 130 to 140 seats out of 329, giving it a decisive role in selecting the prime minister and shaping the next government.

US opposition to al-Maliki

The alliance had announced in January its nomination of former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki for the post. However, his candidacy has faced opposition from US President Donald Trump, who has publicly called on Iraq not to appoint al-Maliki as premier. The delay in announcing a nominee suggests ongoing internal negotiations within the Coordination Framework, possibly over an alternative candidate who could secure broader international acceptance.