ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Former premiers Nouri al-Maliki and Mustafa al-Kadhimi are among several names being presented as candidates for Iraq’s next prime minister, according to multiple political sources speaking to Rudaw.
“We have presented our candidate to the committee that designates the next prime minister,” Aqil al-Fatlawi, spokesperson for the State of Law Coalition headed by Maliki, told Rudaw. He declined to reveal the name, saying discussions are ongoing.
State of Law won about 710,000 votes and secured 29 seats.
Iraq held its parliamentary elections on November 11 and the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) announced the final results on Monday. Hours later, the Coordination Framework, an umbrella organization of prominent Shiite factions, said it had formed the largest bloc in parliament - a key step for the camp that traditionally nominates the prime minister.
In a statement, the Coordination Framework said it had reviewed “criteria for selecting a prime minister” and formed two committees: one to negotiate “national entitlements” and another to interview candidates. This has been widely interpreted as a sign of the bloc’s wavering support for incumbent Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani, who is seeking a second term.
Bahaa al-Araji, a winning candidate from Sudani’s Reconstruction and Development Coalition (RDC), told Rudaw on Thursday that they had learned Maliki was among the names presented.
Sudani’s RDC won 1,317,446 votes and 45 seats.
State of Law’s Fatlawi refused to confirm Maliki’s nomination, but Badr Organization member Mu’in al-Kadhimi said Maliki is seeking the post.
“More than six names have been submitted for the position of prime minister. They have the desire and readiness to take over the position. Sudani has the desire, but I think his chances are currently slim,” he told Rudaw.
Former prime minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi is also a nominee, Fahd al-Jubouri, of the Hikma Movement headed by Ammar al-Hakim, told Rudaw on Friday. Hakim is part of the Coordination Framework’s committee interviewing candidates.
Nouri al-Maliki is scheduled to meet President Masoud Barzani in Erbil on Saturday, Maliki’s advisor Hisham al-Rikabi told Rudaw. He said the meeting will focus on cabinet formation.
Hastyar Qadir, Malik Mohammed, and Ziyad Ismael contributed to this report.
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