Saadawi says Sudani still backed as US opposition shapes PM race

BAGHDAD — A leader within the Coordination Framework said Sunday that eight of its blocs support Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani for a second term, while claiming a U.S. veto has effectively ended the candidacy of rival Bassem al-Badri.

“There are eight blocs supporting Mr. Sudani so far within the Coordination Framework, and there are four blocs with Mr. Maliki,” Abdul Hadi al-Saadawi of the Reconstruction and Development Alliance told Al Dijla TV. “I heard that a U.S. veto arrived in Baghdad against Mr. Bassem al-Badri, and it ended the matter of his candidacy.”

Al-Saadawi dismissed al-Badri’s suitability for the role, saying “the man is the head of an authority and does not have a state vision or a government program,” and called on State of Law bloc members to recognize “the seriousness of the stage” and back a figure with broader acceptability and international standing. He also pointed to the presence in Baghdad of IRGC Quds Force commander Ismail Qaani as significant, saying “the presence of such important figures” reflects the weight of the current moment.

The remarks add new detail to a prime ministerial race that has already seen the Coordination Framework’s initial nomination of former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki draw direct U.S. opposition, with President Trump warning Washington could halt support for Iraq if Maliki returned to power. Political sources had more recently indicated that al-Badri was emerging as a compromise candidate within the framework before the latest claims of U.S. opposition surfaced. Under the constitution, President Amedi has 15 days from taking office to task the largest bloc’s nominee with forming a government.

Excerpts from al-Saadawi’s interview on Al Dijla TV:

There are eight blocs supporting Mr. Sudani so far within the Coordination Framework, and there are four blocs with Mr. Maliki. We have not observed any signatures regarding any other candidate, whether Mr. Badri or others, and if there are, we call on the brothers to present them to the media.

I heard that yesterday at 2 a.m., a U.S. veto arrived in Baghdad against Mr. Bassem al-Badri, and it ended the matter of his candidacy.

Today we are surprised by the position of Mr. Maliki and the State of Law in presenting a compromise candidate. In the Reconstruction and Development Alliance, when we stepped aside for Mr. Maliki, we gave him 51 lawmakers to support him despite Trump’s tweet and all the external rejection. Although we did not officially hear this from Maliki, we heard it from parties within the State of Law.

Today we need our brothers in the State of Law to realize the seriousness of the stage and that it requires a figure who has acceptability, has a project and a vision, and has international relations in order to gain goodwill. What we saw today from our brothers in the Islamic Republic and the presence of Mr. Qaani in Baghdad is very important — the presence of such important figures.

Mr. Bassem al-Badri does not have the experience to lead the state in the next stage. The man is the head of an authority and does not have a state vision or a government program.