Iraqi prominent Sunni blocs back Nouri Al-Maliki bid, dispute NPC stance
Shafaq News– Baghdad
Iraq’s Al-Hasm and Al-Azm alliances, two prominent Sunni political blocs, on Saturday supported the nomination of former prime minister Nouri al-Maliki for the premiership, distancing themselves from a statement by the National Political Council(NPC) that cautioned against repeating past leadership experiences.
Al-Hasm, led by Defense Minister Thabet al-Abbasi, said the statement circulated in the name of the umbrella body bringing together Sunni parties represented in parliament “does not represent the council’s position and does not reflect the views of all its members,” adding, “It did not result from a consensus and instead expressed the views of specific parties only.”
The alliance urged media outlets to verify information and avoid generalizing political positions, citing the need to preserve credibility and transparency before public opinion.
Meanwhile, Al- Azm, headed by Muthanna al-Samarrai, said the National Council had held a meeting to discuss several political issues but failed to reach an official agreement on the circulated statement. While emphasizing that “any positions issued outside official frameworks do not represent the NPC’s decisions or final orientations,” it underlined the importance of unity and prioritizing national interests during “a sensitive phase” for Iraq.
بيان توضيحيفي ظلّ الظروف الدقيقة والحسّاسة التي تمرّ بها المنطقة عموماً، والعراق على وجه الخصوص، وما تتطلّبه المرحلة من أعلى درجات المسؤولية الوطنية، ووحدة الصف، ووضوح الخطاب أمام الرأي العام؛ ويودّ تحالف عزم أن يوضح للرأي العام ما يأتي:عُقد اليوم اجتماعٌ للمجلس السياسي في… pic.twitter.com/KuWQ3MpHCf
— تحالف العزم (@alazmparty) January 24, 2026
Al-Azm lawmaker Mohammed al-Karbooli wrote in a post on X, using the hashtag #Third_Term, that al-Maliki represents “the best option for Sunnis before Shiites at this stage.” He confirmed that his party “will support al-Maliki for the premiership.”
#الولاية_الثالثة pic.twitter.com/THU5LCv5Sz
— محمد الكربولي (@Al_Karbooli) January 24, 2026
Earlier on Saturday, Iraq’s Coordination Framework (CF), an umbrella alliance of Shiite parties that holds more than 185 seats in the 329-member parliament, nominated al-Maliki as its candidate for prime minister. Al-Maliki, whose State of Law Coalition won 29 seats in the recent parliamentary elections, previously served two terms as prime minister between 2006 and 2014 and remains a key figure within the alliance.
In its statement, the NPC urged the Framework to assume what it described as a “historic responsibility” when selecting candidates for Iraq’s PM, warning against repeating leadership approaches that failed to ensure stability or restore public trust, without naming any specific candidate.
Under Iraq’s post-2003 political system, the presidency traditionally goes to a Kurd, the premiership to a Shiite, and the speakership of parliament to a Sunni.
Read more: Nouri Al-Maliki: A name that still divides and tests the politics of memory
