Shiite Bloc Denies Reports of Nouri al-Maliki's Withdrawal from Premiership Race

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - The State of Law Coalition has firmly denied circulating reports claiming that former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has withdrawn his candidacy for the premiership, describing the claims as unfounded and politically motivated.

On Tuesday, Hisham al-Rikabi, head of the media office of the State of Law Coalition leader, responded to media reports suggesting that Iraq’s Shiite Coordination Framework had withdrawn the candidacy of Nouri al-Maliki and introduced an alternative nominee.

“In light of the media campaign alleging that the Coordination Framework has withdrawn Maliki’s candidacy and presented a replacement, we reaffirm that these reports have no basis in truth,” al-Rikabi stated.

He added that the Coordination Framework remains committed to its political positions and that no change has occurred regarding its stance.

Al-Rikabi further stressed that “attempts to distort public opinion will not succeed,” suggesting that the aim of such reports is to create confusion within Iraq’s political landscape.

The denial comes amid ongoing political turbulence in Iraq over government formation and growing debate surrounding al-Maliki’s candidacy.

According to previous statements by members of the Shiite Coordination Framework, al-Maliki has set a single condition for withdrawing from the race: he would step aside only if a majority of the bloc’s leaders formally vote to remove him as their candidate. He has indicated that he would not withdraw under any other internal or external pressure.

Sources have also indicated that a message from the United States was recently delivered to Coordination Framework leaders, reaffirming Washington’s opposition to al-Maliki’s return to the premiership and urging them to prevent his nomination.

The possibility of his conditional withdrawal has already influenced political calculations within the bloc. Some figures have suggested alternative candidates, while discussions among Shiite factions continue without a formally scheduled leadership meeting.

Al-Maliki, who served as Iraq’s prime minister from 2006 to 2014, remains a polarizing figure. His potential return has deepened divisions within the Coordination Framework and drawn international attention, reflecting the broader intersection of domestic political rivalries and external influence in Iraq’s leadership selection process.

With internal negotiations ongoing, the State of Law Coalition’s latest statement underscores that al-Maliki’s candidacy remains formally intact despite mounting speculation and external pressure.