Iraq’s CF shortlists three candidates for PM post

News – Baghdad

Iraqi Coordination Framework (CF), the country’s largest parliamentary bloc, has shortlisted three candidates for the next prime minister, a CF official revealed on Tuesday, noting that the new leader must be able to navigate external pressures and shifting regional dynamics.

Speaking with Shafaq News, Salam Al-Zubaidi, spokesperson for the Al-Nasr (Victory) Coalition led by former Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi, identified the frontrunners as caretaker PM Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, Al-Abadi, and a third candidate described as a potential surprise.

“The framework intends to officially confirm its prime ministerial candidate once Sunni political forces settle on a parliamentary speaker and Kurdish parties reach common ground on their presidential nominee,” he noted, indicating that CF leaders are largely aligned on choosing one of the three names under consideration.

Earlier, the CF outlined criteria for prime ministerial contenders, including a condition that nominees should not lead a political bloc, before later adjusting the rules and allowing most parties within the framework to put forward candidates.

The call comes as Iraq concluded its sixth parliamentary election since 2003, held on November 11, with nationwide turnout surpassing 56%.

Under Iraq’s power-sharing system, the premiership goes to a Shia figure, the speakership to a Sunni, and the presidency to a Kurd. With the CF holding 148 of parliament’s 329 seats, it is positioned to steer negotiations over the next prime minister, president, and parliamentary speaker.

Read more: Five contenders eye Iraq's top post: PM selection looms