Coordination Framework Delegation Heads to Erbil to Finalize Deal on Iraq’s Top Posts
Talks aim to settle the presidency and premiership as the Iraqi parliament convenes to complete Iraq’s constitutional entitlements.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — A senior-level delegation from Iraq’s Shiite-led Coordination Framework is scheduled to visit Erbil on Sunday as part of accelerated political efforts to complete Iraq’s constitutional entitlements, particularly the unresolved posts of president and prime minister. An official from the State of Law Coalition revealed that the visit aims to establish a “final roadmap” for resolving both positions.
The delegation is expected to include Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, Deputy Speaker of Parliament Mohsen al-Mandalawi, and Badr Organization leader Hadi al-Ameri, who will meet with senior leaders of the Kurdistan Region.
Abdulrahman al-Jazairi, a member of the State of Law Coalition, told Kurdistan24 that the Erbil visit represents a decisive step intended to address two sensitive files: agreeing on the future Iraqi president and finalizing arrangements for the next prime minister.
According to Jazairi, the talks will focus on reaching political understandings that can unblock the current impasse.
Sources indicated that the Coordination Framework delegation plans to hold discussions with both major Kurdish parties—the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK)—specifically regarding the presidency, which under Iraq’s post-2003 political convention is allocated to the Kurds.
According to Kurdistan24 correspondent in Baghdad, the Coordination Framework is seeking firm assurances from Kurdish forces to support its preferred candidate for prime minister, in exchange for facilitating consensus on a Kurdish nominee for the presidency. Such a trade-off, he argues, could prove decisive in breaking the deadlock that has delayed the completion of Iraq’s governing institutions.
The visit coincides with a crucial session of the Iraqi parliament scheduled for 11:00 a.m. on Sunday to elect a new president. According to the parliamentary media office, the session is considered a key milestone toward fulfilling constitutional deadlines and paving the way for the formation of a new government cabinet.
The parliamentary vote had originally been set for last Tuesday but was postponed at the request of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan. The delay underscored ongoing Kurdish divisions over the presidency, despite the position traditionally being reserved for a Kurdish nominee.
Initially, 81 candidates submitted applications for the presidency. However, the Iraqi parliament announced a final shortlist of 19 candidates on Jan. 23. One candidate, Nawzad Hadi—one of the two nominees put forward by the KDP—later withdrew, leaving 18 contenders in the race.
The remaining candidates include Latif Mohammed Jamal Rashid, Fuad Mohammed Hussein Baki, Abdullah Mohammed Ali Alawi, and several others representing a broad spectrum of political and independent figures.
Sunday’s developments in Erbil and Baghdad are widely seen as pivotal, with political forces racing against constitutional timelines to resolve the presidency and unlock the final steps toward forming Iraq’s next government.