Iraq: Maliki’s Coalition Denies Striking ‘Secret Alliance’ with Abadi

The State of Law Coalition, headed by former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, denied on Thursday that he had signed a secret agreement with current Premier Haidar al-Abadi over the formation of a new government after the May parliamentary elections.

Coalition spokesman Abbas al-Moussawi said in a statement: “Talk of post-elections alliances between the State of Law Coalition and any other bloc is premature.”

“Any claims about this issue are inaccurate,” he added.

“The Coalition is concerned with the constitutional political majority and it is open to alliances and cooperation with political blocs that share its political vision and agree with its agenda,” he remarked.

Earlier, MP Ali al-Allaq, of the Al-Nasr Coalition, had spoken of a handwritten deal between Maliki and Abadi to strike an alliance after the parliamentary elections in order to establish the largest political bloc that can form a government.

Allaq is also affiliated with Abadi’s Dawa party.

Political Iraqi circles were alarmed with his revelation, saying that despite the two leaders’ apparent disagreement, they are in fact seeking to monopolize the formation of a new government.

Disputes between Maliki and Abadi had first erupted after the latter accepted the post of premier in 2014 at the former’s expense.

MP Jabbar al-Abadi, who is close to the PM, condemned Allaq’s statements, saying that “they do not favor” either Abadi or Maliki.

He told Asharq Al-Awsat that should even such a deal between the two officials exist, it will remain secret and it cannot be revealed to the public.

“Everyone knows of the rift between Maliki and Abadi. Anyone who favors the former will be opposed to the latter,” he added.

He therefore ruled Allaq’s claim as an attempt to deceive the public.

State of Law MP Rihab al-Abbouda meanwhile also denied the existence of such a deal between the rival Iraqi officials, saying that such a claim was aimed at making electoral gains.