Iraq Shia bloc reaffirms support for al-Maliki amid US presidents warnings

Iraq’s Main Shia Alliance Reiterates Support for Nouri al-Maliki as Prime Minister Candidate

The Coordination Framework, a key alliance in Iraq’s parliament, has reaffirmed its backing for Nouri Kamel al-Maliki to become the country’s next prime minister. In a statement released on Saturday, the framework emphasized that selecting a prime minister is an internal constitutional matter that should be free from foreign interference.

Al-Maliki, who is currently running as the nominee of the Coordination Framework, has been met with opposition from US President Donald Trump, who warned that Washington would withdraw its support for Iraq if al-Maliki were to become prime minister. Al-Maliki responded to the threat on social media, stating that he would not withdraw his candidacy and condemning “blatant American interference in Iraq’s internal affairs”.

Al-Maliki, 75, is a senior figure in the Shia Islamic Dawa Party and has previously served as prime minister from 2006 to 2014. He stepped down after ISIL seized large parts of the country in 2014 but has maintained close ties with Iran-backed factions and remains an influential political player.

The US maintains significant influence over Iraq, largely due to its control over the country’s oil export revenue, which is held at the Federal Reserve Bank in New York. The arrangement was established following the 2003 US invasion that toppled Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

Source: Al Jazeera