Iraq’s largest parliamentary bloc, the Coordination Framework, announced on January 24 that it has nominated former prime minister Nouri al‑Maliki as its candidate to form the next government. The bloc said it reached the decision in an expanded meeting aimed at addressing the country’s political direction and pledged to follow constitutional procedures while seeking cooperation with other forces to establish a government capable of preserving security and national unity.
Maliki, who served two consecutive terms as prime minister from 2006 to 2014, leads the State of Law coalition, which won 29 seats in last November’s parliamentary election. His tenure was marked by a centralising approach to power and an emphasis on security institutions; he remains a polarising figure domestically, with critics accusing him of exacerbating sectarian divisions while supporters praise his focus on order and state authority.
The nomination comes amid a compressed constitutional timetable. Iraq’s newly convened parliament held its first session on December 29 and elected a speaker; the constitution requires the new assembly to select a president within 30 days of that first meeting. The president then tasks the nominee put forward by the largest parliamentary bloc to form a government, and the designated prime minister has 30 days to present a cabinet for parliamentary approval. Those deadlines mean intense bargaining over coalition arithmetic is imminent.
Maliki’s selection signals the Coordination Framework’s preference for a tested and assertive leader rather than a compromise outsider. But his narrow base—State of Law’s 29 seats are a fraction of the legislature—means he will need to build alliances with other Shiite groups, Sunni and Kurdish parties, and independents. That negotiation will shape not only cabinet portfolios but Iraq’s foreign-policy posture, balancing relations with the United States, neighbouring Iran, and other regional actors.
The immediate implications are twofold: domestically, the choice risks provoking resistance from electoral newcomers and reformist currents that campaigned on curbing elite patronage and expanding services; regionally, it will be watched closely by Tehran and Washington as an indicator of Baghdad’s tilt. Expect protracted horse‑trading in the coming weeks, with the possibility of either a bruising formation process or a pragmatic accommodation that prioritises stability and security over sweeping reform.