Political analyst Ali Fadhlallah, left, poses with former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in Baghdad after Fadhlallah said al-Maliki “will not, has not, and will not” withdraw from the race for prime minister.
Al-Maliki says he ‘will not’ withdraw from Iraq’s prime minister race
BAGHDAD — Shiite Coordination Framework nominee Nouri al-Maliki “will not” withdraw from the race for prime minister, a political analyst close to al-Maliki’s State of Law coalition said after visiting his office.
Ali Fadhlallah said al-Maliki’s message was that he “will not, has not, and will not” withdraw. In a post reviewed by 964media, Fadhlallah said al-Maliki sent greetings to supporters and was optimistic.
The statement came as some politicians linked to the framework have spoken of a drop in al-Maliki’s support inside the bloc, from 10 to four out of 12 components, according to Fadhlallah’s account.
The Coordination Framework nominated al-Maliki “by majority vote” on Jan. 25, describing “the choice of the prime minister” as “a purely Iraqi constitutional matter.”
On Feb. 1, President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social that the United States would “no longer help” Iraq if al-Maliki returned to office, saying Iraq would have “ZERO chance of Success, Prosperity, or Freedom.” Al-Maliki rejected the statement, saying, “Choosing our government and leadership is a national matter that must be respected.”
Several framework parties, including Asaib Ahl al-Haq and the Huqooq Movement, issued statements backing al-Maliki and rejecting outside pressure. Others linked to the bloc have suggested support has narrowed.