Shafaq News – Baghdad

Former Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi has ruled out returning to office, his Al-Nasr (Victory) Coalition said on Wednesday, despite his nomination by the Shiite Coordination Framework (CF).

Al-Abadi, whose Coalition is part of CF — an alliance of Iran-aligned parties — previously served as prime minister from 2014 to 2018 during the war against ISIS.

Coalition spokesman Salam al-Zubaidi told Shafaq News that the CF shortlisted Al-Abadi despite his “explicit” refusal, noting that he rejects any post in which he would be “constrained.” The next CF meeting “may prove decisive in determining the next prime minister.”

All candidates, he said, currently hold equal chances, and the selections of the next president and parliament speaker will “certainly” influence the final decision.

A CF source earlier told Shafaq News that the shortlist has narrowed to a few leading contenders, including caretaker Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, Al-Abadi, and State of Law leader and former premier Nouri Al-Maliki.

Initially, the Framework required that the nominee not lead a political bloc but later loosened its criteria, stipulating only that the next prime minister must have no legal cases or corruption allegations.

According to the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC), among CF parties, Al-Sudani’s Reconstruction and Development (Al-Ima’ar wal Tanmiya) Coalition won 46 seats — the largest share in the 329-seat parliament — and nominated its leader for the premiership. Al-Maliki’s State of Law Coalition, which secured 29 seats, also named its leader for the premiership.

Al-Nasr did not field any candidates in the election but cast its votes for CF lists.

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