Shafaq News – Baghdad
Secretary-General of the National Movement (Al-Wifaq Al-Watani), former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, on Saturday, backed caretaker PM Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, urging political forces to support his reappointment for a second term.
The endorsement marks the first political support for Al-Sudani’s second term from outside his Al Ima’ar wal Tanmiya (Reconstruction and Development) bloc.
In a statement, Allawi noted Al-Sudani’s efforts in recent years, citing his measures to strengthen state institutions and ease tensions amid a complex regional environment.
He urged the continuation of Al-Sudani’s balanced approach and the reinforcement of a genuine national partnership built on unified decision-making and a clear governance vision.
The call comes as Iraq concluded its sixth parliamentary election since 2003, held on November 11, with voter turnout exceeding 56% nationwide.
Official results from the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) showed that Al-Sudani’s Reconstruction and Development Coalition emerged as the largest bloc, securing 46 seats. It was followed by former PM Nouri Al-Maliki’s State of Law Coalition (E’tilaf Dawlat Al-Qanoun), with 29 seats, and Sadiqoon, led by Qais Al-Khazali, with 27.
Focus now shifts to forming the new government and selecting a prime minister, with Al-Sudani, Al-Maliki, and Intelligence Service chief Hamid Al-Shatri emerging as the leading contenders.
However, a source told Shafaq News that several parties within the Coordination Framework (CF)—the Shiite political alliance currently steering the Iraqi government—oppose granting Al-Sudani a second term, favoring an alternative nominee.
Iraq’s political system follows a power-sharing formula, with the prime minister drawn from the Shia community, the parliament speaker from the Sunni community, and the president from the Kurdish community. With the Shia parties holding 140 of the 329 seats—the largest bloc in the new parliament—they are expected to shape negotiations over the premiership, as well as the presidency and speakership.
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