Sudani bloc MP says it had ‘not expected’ scale of opposition to Maliki nomination

BAGHDAD — A lawmaker from the Parliamentary Reconstruction and Development Bloc, headed by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, said the coalition did not anticipate the scale of opposition to Nouri al-Maliki’s nomination and urged the Shiite Coordination Framework to resolve the prime ministerial file within this week.

Ali al-Lami said in an interview on Al-Iraqiya News that the bloc is now viewing developments differently and acknowledged that it “had not expected this level of rejection” of Maliki. He stressed that “the country’s interests must come first” and called on the Coordination Framework to “set aside private interests, prioritize national interests and resolve the prime ministerial file within this week.”

He added, “We have seen the scale of opposition to Mr. Maliki, whether internally or regionally, and today the framework must leave aside private interests and look to the street,” noting that his bloc had not anticipated such resistance after stepping aside for Maliki. He urged the framework to “take the appropriate decision, fulfill its duty toward the country and the people, and settle the issue of the prime ministerial nominee within this week.”

Maliki was nominated by the Coordination Framework following the 2025 parliamentary elections, but his candidacy has faced mounting internal debate and external scrutiny. President Donald Trump warned four days after Maliki’s nomination that Washington may halt support for Iraq if he returns to power, and Iraq’s Foreign Ministry said a verbal message delivered by U.S. officials included “a clear and explicit hint of the possibility of imposing sanctions on certain individuals and institutions” if the framework proceeds with his nomination.

In January, Sudani formally withdrew his bid for the premiership and endorsed Maliki after the Coordination Framework moved toward nominating Maliki by majority vote. The step was presented as an effort to preserve unity within the alliance after Sudani was unable to secure unified backing despite leading the largest bloc within the framework.

Some excerpts from Al-Lami’s interview on Al-Iraqiya News:

The coalition is now viewing developments differently, acknowledging that it had not anticipated the level of opposition to Nouri al-Maliki and stressing that the country’s interests must come first. The Coordination Framework should set aside private interests, prioritize national interests and resolve the prime ministerial file within this week.

In the beginning, when the Reconstruction Bloc and Mr. Sudani relinquished his parliamentary entitlement in favor of Mr. Maliki, the concession was intended to prevent political deadlock and avoid exceeding constitutional deadlines. We still support Mr. Maliki, but we are looking at developments from another perspective. Today, the country’s interest is paramount. If the political system begins its course by exceeding constitutional deadlines, how will it continue?

We have seen the scale of opposition to Mr. Maliki, whether internally or regionally, and today the framework must leave aside private interests and look to the street.

the Reconstruction Bloc had not expected such resistance after stepping aside for Maliki, we urge the framework to take the appropriate decision, fulfill its duty toward the country and the people, and settle the issue of the prime ministerial nominee within this week.