CF leader denies talks on revoking al-Sudani's candidature

Shafaq News/ A leading figure in the Coordination Framework (CF), a consortium of mainly Iran-backed Shiite political forces, refuted media reports on internal talks to annul the candidature of Mohammad Shiyaa al-Sudani for Iraq's premiership following the recent row with the Sadrist movement's supporters in Baghdad.

In a statement to Shafaq News Agency, Ali al-Fatlawi told Shafaq News Agency, "this news are unfounded. The meetings of the Coordination Framework did not touch upon this issue."

"The Coordination Framework forces are aware that replacing al-Sudani would not solve the problem. The Sadrist movement will not approve any government the Coordination Framework forms. For this reason, the Coordination Framework is adamant about its candidate, and the efforts to form a government did not stop," he continued. 

In multi-confessional and multi-ethnic Iraq, government formation has involved complex negotiations since a 2003 US-led invasion toppled dictator Saddam Hussein.

Sadr's bloc emerged from elections in October as the biggest parliamentary faction, but still far short of a majority.

In June, his 73 lawmakers quit in a bid to break a logjam over the establishment of a new government.

This led to a rival Shiite bloc — the pro-Iran Coordination Framework — becoming the largest in parliament.

Its nomination of former Cabinet Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani as prime minister angered the Sadrists and triggered their occupation of parliament.

Al-Sadr later called for an overhaul of the governance system in Iraq and a change of the Iraqi constitution. 

In response, the Coordination Framework called for demonstrations to "defend the state and constitution" on the perimeter of the Green Zone bringing the tension in the country to brinksmanship.