Member of Sudani bloc warns of Framework ‘collapse’ if PM candidate not named soon

BAGHDAD — A member of the Prime Minister Sudani’s Construction and Development bloc warned Tuesday that failure to agree on a prime minister candidate within three days would bring down both the framework and the broader political process.

“If the framework does not succeed in the next three days in passing a candidate, then something undesirable will happen,” Abdul Amir Taeiban said in a televised interview. He called the prospect of failure “a complete failure” and urged leaders to resign if they could not deliver.

“The enemy is in front of you and the sea is behind you. You must vote and move forward. If you do not, matters will become chaotic and the entire political process will collapse,” Taeiban said, adding that public anger was rising and the Iraqi street was “angry and dissatisfied with what is happening.”

The framework failed to reach consensus Monday, with Secretary-General Abbas al-Amiri describing talks as positive but inconclusive. The Dawa Party insists Maliki’s nomination stands, while competing factions say eight blocs back Sudani against four for Maliki. A third candidate, Bassem al-Badri, was said to have faced a U.S. veto, while Maliki’s nomination drew direct opposition from President Trump.

Amiri called on members to attend a meeting Wednesday at the office of Humam Hamoudi, head of the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq, to decide on a candidate. President Nizar Amedi has 15 days from his April 12 inauguration under Article 76 to task the largest bloc’s nominee with forming a government.