US Sets Deadline for Iraqi Shiite Bloc to Name Alternative PM Candidate
The source told Kurdistan24 that the embassy set Sunday as the final date for a decision on al-Maliki’s candidacy, prompting intensified consultations among Framework leaders to agree on an alternative nominee.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — The United States, through the United States Embassy in Baghdad, has reportedly given Shiite political leaders within the Coordination Framework a 48-hour deadline to select a replacement candidate for prime minister instead of Nouri al‑Maliki, according to a source cited Friday.
The source told Kurdistan24 that the embassy set Sunday as the final date for a decision on al-Maliki’s candidacy, prompting intensified consultations among Framework leaders to agree on an alternative nominee.
Bassem Agili, a member of the media team for the Reconstruction and Development Coalition led by Mohammed Shia al‑Sudani, said discussions are underway to put forward two new candidates while also working toward forming a new cabinet.
On Nov. 22, 2025, the council of the Islamic Dawa Party unanimously nominated al-Maliki, its secretary-general, for the premiership. However, on Jan. 27, U.S. President Donald Trump warned of consequences if al-Maliki were to assume the post, a statement that added international pressure to Iraq’s ongoing government formation process.
Al-Maliki previously served as Iraq’s prime minister from 2006 to 2014 and remains a prominent and influential figure within Shiite political circles. The latest developments underscore the complex interplay between domestic alliances and international considerations shaping Iraq’s leadership negotiations.