ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraq’s ruling Shiite Coordination Framework on Monday announced it has formed the largest bloc in the country’s legislature - a key step for the bloc traditionally responsible for nominating the next prime minister. The move comes amid uncertainty over whether incumbent Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani will receive the bloc’s backing for a second premiership.
The state-run Iraqi News Agency (INA) reported that following a meeting at the office of former Iraqi premier Haider al-Abadi (2016–2020), the Coordination Framework “signed its recognition as the largest parliamentary bloc, consisting of all its entities, in accordance with constitutional procedures, and its move to proceed with the nomination of a prime minister for the next phase.”
The bloc stressed “the importance of settling electoral entitlements within constitutional timeframes and in line with legal procedures,” noting that adherence to deadlines “guarantees an orderly constitutional transition that respects the will of the voters.”
The Coordination Framework further highlighted “comprehensive national cooperation” as essential for the next phase and for consolidating political stability.
Since the 2003 US-led invasion, Iraq’s informal ethno-sectarian system has allocated the prime ministership to Shiites, the speakership to Sunni Arabs, and the presidency to Kurds.
On Monday, Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) announced the final results of the 2025 legislative vote, with incumbent Sudani’s Reconstruction and Development Coalition (RDC) winning 46 seats in the 329-member legislature.
Under the Iraqi constitution, the new parliament must now convene with a two-thirds quorum of its members in a session led by the eldest legislator, who serves as acting speaker.
Parliament then elects a speaker, followed by a president through a secret ballot - requiring a two-thirds majority in the first round or a simple majority in a runoff. The largest parliamentary bloc then nominates the prime minister-designate, who is tasked by the president to form the next government.
Furthermore, the Shiite Coordination Framework on Monday announced two committees: one to “discuss national entitlements and develop a unified vision for state management,” and another “to interview prime minister candidates according to professional and national standards.”
The bloc reportedly reviewed “criteria for selecting a prime minister” and discussed “the nature of the required government program needed to address Iraq’s political, economic, and service challenges while meeting citizens’ expectations for reform, stability, and development.”
Although Sudani emerged as a frontrunner in the 2025 legislative vote and has repeatedly expressed his desire for another term, it remains unclear whether the Shiite Coordination Framework - which supported him in his first term in October 2022 - will back his bid for the premiership again.
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