Coordination Framework nominates Ali al-Zaidi as prime minister-designate

BAGHDAD — The Coordination Framework on Monday evening nominated Ali al-Zaidi as its candidate for prime minister, ending a political deadlock that has persisted since the November 2025 parliamentary elections.

Al-Zaidi is a businessman, lawyer and owner of Dijlah TV. He holds a bachelor’s degree in law and a master’s degree in finance and banking, and previously served as chairman of Al-Janoob Bank. Qusai Mahbouba, a leader in the Reconstruction and Development bloc, described him as a “compromise candidate.”

His nomination concludes five months of political maneuvers over the post. Iraqi political circles often refer to the early promotion of names as “burning” — a practice aimed at exposing candidates to political and media pressure ahead of a formal decision. Al-Zaidi’s name had not featured prominently in those discussions.

The framework’s failure to agree on a candidate within 15 days of President Nizar Amedi’s April 12 inauguration triggered what legal interpretations described as a second constitutional breach. The first lasted 71 days during the process of electing the president, from Jan. 30 to April 11.