Iraq’s ruling bloc still weighs next PM choices

Shafaq News– Baghdad

Iraq’s Coordination Framework (CF), the Shiite alliance that recently emerged as the largest parliamentary bloc, on Saturday signaled that talks on forming the next government and selecting a prime minister remain ongoing, amid public debate over a possible third term for former premier Nouri Al-Maliki.

In a statement, Framework leaders, following a meeting at the office of Mohsen Al-Mandalawi, agreed to press ahead with deliberations on government formation and the choice of a prime minister, within what they described as “constitutional timelines for the next phase.”

The meeting, the statement added, was “positive,” pointing to “important developments and advanced indicators” that it linked to political stability and the country’s broader interests.

Local media outlets and social media platforms had widely circulated reports claiming the Framework had reached a consensus to nominate former PM Nouri Al-Maliki for the post. The statement, however, refrained from addressing any specific nomination.

Separately, a well-informed source told Shafaq News that caretaker PM Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani had opted to withdraw his bid for a second term in favor of Al-Maliki, while noting that the Framework has yet to formally finalize or publicly confirm Al-Maliki’s nomination.

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