Iraq’s caretaker Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has stepped aside from the race for the country’s top post to clear the way for former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, Iraqi officials said Tuesday.
Two officials, including a senior leader from al-Sudani’s Reconstruction and Development Coalition and a government official, said al-Sudani agreed to withdraw after talks with al-Maliki. They spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to comment publicly. Al-Sudani’s office did not respond to a request for comment.
Al-Sudani’s coalition won the largest number of seats in November’s parliamentary elections, securing 46 in the 329-seat parliament, while al-Maliki’s bloc won 30. Both leaders had sought the backing of the Coordination Framework, a powerful alliance of Iran-backed Shiite parties that brought al-Sudani to power in 2022.
The officials said the Coordination Framework failed to choose between the two contenders and left the decision to them. A subsequent meeting resulted in al-Sudani agreeing to step aside in favor of al-Maliki.
The next government will face major political and economic challenges, including the future of armed groups, especially the Popular Mobilization Forces, a coalition of mostly Shiite militias formed to fight the Islamic State group. Although formally placed under military control in 2016, the group continues to operate with significant autonomy.
The United States has been urging Iraq to disarm Iran-backed groups, a sensitive issue given their political influence.
As negotiations over government formation continue, Iraq’s judiciary has entered the debate on non-state weapons. Supreme Judicial Council head Judge Faiq Zidan said earlier this month there was no longer any need for arms outside state control following the defeat of terrorism.
Some political forces welcomed his remarks, while armed factions rejected any discussion of disarmament, saying their weapons are necessary to defend the country and its holy sites.
A judicial official said the judiciary would support the incoming government by providing legal backing for any disarmament process and has taken a tougher stance on enforcing constitutional deadlines for forming the new government.
Political analyst Ihsan Al-Shammari said the judiciary’s role marks one of the strongest interventions since Iraq’s post-2003 political system was established.