Iraq’s dominant Shiite Coordination Framework nominated Ali al-Zaidi as prime minister on Monday, shifting to what it described as a compromise candidate after weeks of internal wrangling over who could lead the next government, according to the Associated Press. The announcement followed a meeting at the government palace, and came after the bloc debated internally in an effort to reach agreement among its member parties.
Coordination Framework leaders said President Nizar Amidi then tasked al-Zaidi with forming a government. Even with the backing of the dominant bloc, the formation is still not guaranteed to clear the political hurdle of securing parliament’s confidence vote for the cabinet lineup, AP reported.
The political maneuvering also reflected pressure from outside Iraq. Earlier, the Coordination Framework had said it would back former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, whom the U.S. administration has characterized as too close to Iran. AP reported that U.S. President Donald Trump publicly opposed al-Maliki and threatened to cut off aid to Iraq if he were appointed, after which al-Maliki remained defiant even as the bloc moved toward a different candidate.
In the statement announcing al-Zaidi’s nomination, Coordination Framework leaders thanked both al-Maliki and incumbent Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani for their “historic and responsible positions” in withdrawing their candidacies, saying the move was intended to help overcome the political deadlock. Al-Sudani later issued a statement congratulating al-Zaidi, AP said.
Al-Zaidi, a businessman who chairs Al-Janoob Islamic Bank, emerged in the final stages of negotiations as one of the leading options, AP reported. The report said he has not previously held political office and that his candidacy gained support from his economic background and business and investment connections.
After the nomination, al-Zaidi pledged to focus on making Iraq “a balanced country, regionally and internationally,” AP reported. He also told reporters that the timing of the appointment “comes at a sensitive time that requires concerted efforts from all political and social forces,” according to the Associated Press.
Under Iraq’s constitution, the designated prime minister has 30 days to present a Cabinet lineup to parliament. AP reported that the vote of confidence requires 167 votes, setting a near-term deadline for al-Zaidi to build a coalition capable of winning support beyond the single dominant bloc that nominated him.
The next government will face multiple pressures at once, AP reported. The report said the political and economic fallout of the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran has spilled over into Iraq, and that the closure of the Strait of Hormuz has disrupted oil exports that Iraq relies on. The new administration will also have to confront issues of corruption, the presence of weapons outside state authority, and questions about the future of the Popular Mobilization Forces, a coalition of Shiite militias that are nominally under the Iraqi military but operate largely outside its control, AP said.