Iraqi ruling bloc reviews presidential impasse, weighs Al-Maliki alternatives
Shafaq News- Baghdad
Iraq’s Shiite Coordination Framework (CF), the largest bloc in parliament, is preparing to meet Saturday for high-level talks aimed at easing the political stalemate, sources informed Shafaq News, as internal discussions increasingly focus on the possibility of advancing a consensus candidate instead of former Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki.
CF member Abu Mithaq Al-Massari said that the bloc will convene an extraordinary session ahead of a State Administration Coalition meeting expected midweek. The agenda, he noted, includes the stalled presidential election and mechanisms that would allow Framework lawmakers to vote freely if Kurdish parties submit competing nominees.
Participants will also review relations among political forces and the need to maintain what Al-Massari characterized as a “principle of mutual respect,” in reference to recent remarks by Taqaddum Party leader Mohammed Al-Halbousi targeting Al-Maliki. The session is expected to address procedures for convening parliament to elect a president and to examine mounting US pressure across the region.
Behind closed doors, however, Framework leaders are studying scenarios that could replace Al-Maliki with a figure capable of attracting broader support, according to CF sources, who stressed, “Any such move would require formal nomination and Al-Maliki’s consent.”
The name of Mohammed al-Khazaei has circulated in internal consultations, though uncertainties remain over his domestic and international backing, the sources added, pointing out that another potential nominee has not been disclosed, while some members have revived earlier discussions about presenting former Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi as a compromise choice.
Despite internal differences, political actors continue to prioritize de-escalation and seek to prevent outcomes that could destabilize the situation, the sources indicated.
These deliberations coincide with warnings from the United States against Al-Maliki’s return to power, cautioning that such a development would halt US support and risk further instability in Iraq. A US State Department spokesperson told Shafaq News that President Donald Trump recalled that Iraq “descended into poverty and total chaos” during Al-Maliki’s previous tenure, arguing that a repeat must be avoided.
Iraqi officials also received warnings about possible restrictions on access to oil export revenues if Al-Maliki becomes prime minister, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday. Sources cited by the agency associated the tougher US stance with growing frustration over his refusal to withdraw his candidacy.
Al-Maliki has emerged as the official candidate of the CF, which holds around 185 of the 329 seats. His nomination has reportedly secured backing from major Kurdish parties, including the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), as well as segments of the Sunni National Political Council. He served as Iraq’s prime minister from 2006 to 2014, during a time when the country faced significant security, political, and institutional challenges, including the emergence of the ISIS group, which captured large areas of Iraq in 2014.
Read more: Nouri Al-Maliki’s return rekindles Iraq’s divisions as Iran and the US pull apart
