By Dr. Pshtiwan Faraj, SULAIMANI, Kurdish Policy Analysis, April 22-- Iraq’s Shiite political forces failed to convene as planned to choose a candidate for the country’s next prime minister.
The groups, aligned under an alliance known as the Coordination Framework, had been expected to meet Saturday evening in Baghdad to settle on a nominee, but the meeting was postponed.
A source within the Coordination Framework told Alhurra that the delay came at the direct request of current Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, who informed alliance leaders that he needed an additional “24 hours” to consolidate his alliances and secure the votes of undecided members to win a second term.
The “old guard” within the alliance initially rejected postponing the meeting, but political pressure pushed them to agree at the last minute. The delay, made at Sudani’s request, has raised questions about his ability to outmaneuver his rivals.
Sudani is determined to secure a second term, believing that his coalition’s victory with the highest number of votes in the most recent parliamentary elections, held in November 2025, qualifies him to remain prime minister.
The political deadlock coincided with the arrival in Baghdad of the commander of Iran’s Quds Force, Gen. Esmail Qaani, on an unannounced visit.
According to observers, Qaani, who is seeking to coordinate the positions of Iraq’s Shiite factions, does not possess the same level of influence as his predecessor, Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in a U.S. strike in Baghdad in 2020.
Sources who spoke to Alhurra said Qaani met with several Coordination Framework leaders and stressed the need to form a “strong government capable of confronting regional challenges.”
One source interpreted the concept of “strength” from the Iranian perspective as a government that “does not compromise the strategic relationship with Tehran,” amid serious Iranian concerns about declining influence in Iraq due to international pressure and reports suggesting a loss of control over some key files ahead of the formation of a new government.
Qaani is scheduled to meet with other Coordination Framework figures on Sunday, with the aim of resolving the situation within the alliance by Monday and agreeing on a consensus candidate.
According to a second source, Iran fears losing its influence in Iraq and “therefore sent Qaani to salvage what can be salvaged before the government is formed.”
Leaked information indicates that the race has effectively narrowed to two candidates: Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, who is relying on his “service achievements” and his growing parliamentary bloc (the Reconstruction and Development Coalition), the largest with “at least 45 seats,” and Bassem al-Badri, head of the Accountability and Justice Commission, who has emerged as a “compromise” candidate backed strongly by State of Law Coalition leader Nouri al-Maliki and Qais al-Khazali, secretary-general of Asaib Ahl al-Haq.
Under the Coordination Framework’s internal voting mechanism, a candidate must secure a two-thirds majority (eight out of 12 votes) to become the bloc’s official nominee.
The complexity of the political scene is not limited to Shiite factions, but also extends to Kurdish forces.
The Kurdistan Democratic Party bloc announced it would boycott parliament sessions until further notice, protesting what it described as violations of the constitution and the law within the legislative institution.
In an official statement, the bloc affiliated with the Kurdistan Democratic Party, led by Masoud Barzani, said the boycott decision was due to what it viewed as a disregard for the principles of partnership, balance and consensus, which are fundamental pillars of Iraq’s political process. It added that the decision was based on directives and recommendations issued by the party’s leadership amid escalating disputes over decision-making mechanisms within parliament.
The move follows an earlier announcement by the Kurdistan Democratic Party rejecting the outcome of the election of Nizar Amidi as president of Iraq, saying the mechanism of his election did not reflect the true representation of the Kurdish majority. The party also instructed its representatives in both parliament and the federal government to return to the Kurdistan Region for internal consultations.
The party’s bloc had already boycotted the parliamentary session to elect the president, in a step reflecting a notable political escalation that could have repercussions for the stability of the legislative process and political balances in Iraq in the coming period.
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