Iraq’s Coordination Framework has reached what insiders describe as almost final criteria for choosing the next prime minister, the most important of which is that the nominee must not be focused on building a partisan model that would position him to join the alliance as a leader.
While the final candidate is expected to serve as a chief executive at the head of the new cabinet, the victorious Shiite parties in the general election are expected to assume responsibility for decisions related to the weapons held by armed factions and the economic crisis.
One week after the November 11, 2025 vote, twelve leaders of Shiite parties within the Coordination Framework signed a declaration naming themselves the largest bloc, qualifying them to nominate a prime minister.
The presence of outgoing Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani at the signing drew attention after internal disagreements about his desire to stay on for a second term.
Al-Sudani’s Reconstruction and Development Coalition won 45 seats, not enough to break with the Framework consensus and form a government under his leadership. Shiite parties collectively secured about 187 seats in the sixth parliament, which has 329 seats.
Long and shortlists
Asharq Al-Awsat has learned that key Shiite forces, led by the State of Law Coalition and Asaib Ahl al-Haq, have been intensively reviewing a wide range of names for the country’s top executive post.
They recently converged on the idea of forming a government headed by a figure who would implement a package of decisions for which the coalition leaders would assume responsibility, particularly on security, relations with the United States, and addressing the economic situation.
Sources said senior figures in the Coordination Framework have temporarily halted their review of candidate lists in order to assess the political formula that will define the premiership in the coming period.
They added that outgoing Prime Minister al-Sudani has made the shortlist, although under different conditions.
Nouri al-Maliki, the former prime minister, strongly opposes allowing al-Sudani to return for a second term, although a few factions in the coalition would not object if the new criteria for the post are applied.
Parties inside the Coordination Framework have leaked multiple long and shortlists of possible candidates. In Iraq, such leaks are typically used to test public reactions to certain figures, eliminate others from contention, or obscure the identities of contenders who have not yet entered the race.
Asharq Al-Awsat has also learned that the Framework stopped leaking names in the past two days after public confusion escalated.
It has decided instead to focus on the requirements of the post. The sources said al-Sudani remains on a shortlist, although they declined to discuss his chances.
The Coordination Framework has experienced sharp divisions both before and after the elections over how to handle al-Sudani’s ambitions. Meanwhile, some leaders within the ruling coalition have come to view the premiership as a factory for producing political leaders.
More leaders at the table
A senior Shiite figure in the Coordination Framework told Asharq Al-Awsat that coalition leaders have lately expressed anger and frustration at the growing number of people seated at the table with the right to vote on major decisions as leaders in their own right.
The Shitte coalition has decided to form two leadership committees to discuss the next phase, develop a unified vision for governing the state, and interview prime ministerial candidates based on professional criteria, according to a statement issued on November 17.
Sources said political discussions among the winning Shiite parties are now centered on finding a prime minister who will never feel anxious about his political future and will not be preoccupied with building a partisan legacy while in office, in any circumstance or at any point in his term.
Three senior Shiite leaders in the Coordination Framework have agreed on the need for what they described as a chief executive with strong powers who enjoys full support, but who is not a political leader.
They added that the new prime minister would represent all forces in the new coalition, which would oversee decision making and assume responsibility for it.
The senior Shiite figure said the final nominee will represent all Shiite factions in the Framework in order to prevent defiance and to give him the strength the post requires in administrative terms.
The sources said the Coordination Framework is trying to make maximum use of what it views as the best electoral cycle Shiite parties have experienced in years, marked by the absence of the Sadrist Movement and a large haul of parliament seats.
But internal and external pressures are imposing a strict agenda on the next government.
According to discussions within the Coordination Framework, the new government is expected to take decisions on armed groups that still retain their weapons, as well as factions that won seats but are under United States sanctions.
The senior Shiite figure said that if the Framework secures its preferred nominee for prime minister, it will strongly support him on this file.
