Iraq's Shia parties face deadline to nominate prime minister

Coordination Framework has until April 26 to choose candidate amid US and Iranian pressure over succession.

Iraq's largest parliamentary bloc has five days to nominate a prime minister, more than five months after parliamentary elections were held¹². The Coordination Framework, a coalition of Shia parties controlling approximately 185 of 329 seats in parliament, must submit its candidate by April 26 under constitutional requirements¹².

Under Article 76 of Iraq's constitution, the president must ask the nominee of the largest parliamentary bloc to form a government within 15 days of being elected². President Nizar Amedi, a Kurdish politician, was elected on April 11¹².

The bloc postponed a decision scheduled for Tuesday, citing the need for further internal consultations². The delay reflects ongoing power struggles within the Coordination Framework over the selection¹².

Incumbent Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani is seeking a second term but faces competition from a bloc led by former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki¹. In January, the Coordination Framework chose al-Maliki, who has served twice as prime minister and maintains close links with Iran, as its nominee². That selection prompted a response from US President Donald Trump, who threatened to stop supporting Iraq if al-Maliki returned to office².

The succession dispute unfolds as Iraq navigates relations between the United States and Iran, both of which wield influence over Iraqi politics¹². Iran has cultivated relationships with Shia parties following the removal of Saddam Hussein¹. The US-Israel conflict with Iran has extended into Iraq, where pro-Iranian armed groups have carried out attacks on US assets in solidarity with Tehran¹.

Baghdad faces what one report described as a "tight diplomatic spot" as it attempts to balance ties between Washington and its eastern neighbour¹.