Iraq’s CF weighs consensus candidate for premiership

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Leaders of Iraq's Shiite Coordination Framework (CF) —the largest bloc in the country's 329-seat parliament— on Friday are set to decide the next prime minister, though divisions persist and no candidate has secured consensus, a political source told Shafaq News.

Competition between the State of Law Coalition (SLC), led by former Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki, and the Reconstruction and Development (Al-Ima'ar wal-Tanmiya) Coalition, headed by caretaker Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, remains unresolved, raising the likelihood that the meeting will again end without a final decision. Additionally, chances for Ihsan Al-Awadi, the candidate backed by Al-Ima'ar wal-Tanmiya, have declined due to objections from within the bloc itself, the source noted, adding that the coalition is considering nominating an alternative figure.

According to the source, some CF leaders are expected to propose a compromise candidate backed by all factions, with several names under consideration ahead of the evening meeting.

Earlier, MP Mahmoud Al-Shammari from the Parliamentary Services (Khadamat) bloc revealed that lawmakers are preparing to collect signatures and submit a formal request to the Iraqi President to nominate a suitable candidate for prime minister if the Coordination Framework fails to reach an agreement by Saturday.

The Framework failed to reach agreement on a prime ministerial candidate during meetings held last Saturday and Monday, deferring a final decision to today, April 24.

Under Iraq’s post-2003 power-sharing system, the presidency is held by a Kurd, the premiership by a Shiite, and the speakership by a Sunni Arab. Parliament elected Nizar Amedi as president on April 11, initiating the process to nominate a prime minister. The CF has 15 days to present its candidate, after which the nominee has 30 days to form a government and secure parliamentary confidence under Article 76 of the constitution.

Read more: Coordination Framework: Can govern Iraq, but cannot agree on a PM