Iraqs Shia Bloc Faces Uncertainty in Next Prime Minister Selection

Iraq’s Coordination Framework Must Choose Prime Minister by Sunday

Baghdad, Iraq - Iraqi leaders have five days to choose a prime minister and end a prolonged political crisis. The Coordination Framework, the largest bloc of Shia parties in parliament, must select a nominee by Sunday as required by the constitution.

The framework has 185 out of 329 seats in parliament. According to Article 76 of the constitution, the president must ask the nominee of the largest parliamentary bloc to form a government within 15 days of being elected. Nizar Amedi was elected president on April 11.

The Coordination Framework has been experiencing internal power struggles due to Iraq’s complex relationships with neighboring countries Iran and the United States. The war between the two countries has further complicated those ties.

In January, the bloc chose Nouri al-Maliki as its nominee, which triggered an angry reaction from US President Donald Trump. Internal differences have emerged within the bloc, mainly between the Hikma Movement and the Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq Movement.

The State of Law Coalition nominated Bassem al-Badry as its prime minister candidate, while another group, the Reconstruction and Development Coalition, picked Ihsan al-Awadi. Al-Badry currently serves as chairman of the Accountability and Justice Commission, while al-Awadi is the director of the office of caretaker Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani.

Hider al-Mola, a member of the State of Law Coalition, stated that Bassem al-Badry is considered the frontrunner due to his support. The delay in naming a prime minister was attributed to differing viewpoints and objections among the bloc’s leaders regarding the nominees.

Recent visits by Ismail Qaani, head of the Quds Force, and US envoy Tom Barrack have added complexity to Iraq’s political crisis. Al-Mola denied any connection between their visits and the selection of the prime minister, stating that Iran’s role is limited to supporting whatever the Iraqi blocs agree on.

The Coordination Framework must make a decision by Sunday to end the ongoing political crisis.

Source: Al Jazeera