Iraqi citizens criticize, via Rudaw, the framework's delay in naming a candidate for prime minister
Sunday, April 26, 2026, marks the constitutional deadline for the coordinating body to select a candidate for the next prime minister.
Rudaw Media Network interviewed several Baghdad residents about the nature of the disagreements among these leaders, which consistently lead to their meetings failing to reach a conclusion and being repeatedly postponed.
Falah Abdullah, a civil activist, told Rudaw Media Network: "There are internal disagreements and interference, but I believe that the veto imposed on the current and former prime ministers was one of the problems that hindered the appointment of a prime minister."
Mohammed Salman, an athlete, told Rudaw: "This isn't the first time, and it's not surprising that the country is delaying the appointment of a prime minister. Everyone knows that regional powers have a significant influence on the selection process."
Huda al-Rubaie, a photographer, stated that "the political blocs don't trust each other, aren't looking for a competent candidate, and there is foreign interference. These are all the reasons."
In the same vein, political analyst Dr. Anwar al-Moussawi stated, "Some believe their candidate is the best and capable of shouldering future responsibilities. Conversely, they argue that there is corruption and a lack of coordination with armed groups, which they consider weaknesses."
Lawyer Hussein al-Moussawi expressed his opinion, saying, "The issue revolves around political interests and conflicts. There is no understanding among them. The Coordination Framework should have resolved the matter and selected the prime minister based on principles that serve the country, ensuring he is a qualified individual for this critical phase Iraq is going through."
Similarly, Hassan al-Obeidi, an employee, remarked, "In my opinion, the current situation is an American-Iranian conflict, and this is what is preventing the formation of a government."
The nomination of the prime minister has been a point of contention for over four months, amidst divisions within the Coordination Framework. Several meetings have been postponed to allow more time for consultations among the parties.
The Coordination Framework holds 164 seats out of the more than 180 seats held by Shia forces in parliament.
Coalition member Khalid Walid told Rudaw Media Network on Saturday (April 25, 2026), following a meeting of the Coordination Framework leaders on Friday night that failed to reach an agreement, that "the previous phase witnessed attempts to push through nominations that lacked national acceptance, including the earlier selection of Maliki with ten votes, which was thwarted by internal reservations within the Framework and rejection from the broader national political sphere."
Walid added that "pursuing compromise candidates proved fruitless, as no candidate was able to secure the required majority for approval, either among members of the Framework or within the Council of Representatives," noting that insisting on disregarding the results did not resolve the crisis.
According to the constitution, the Coordination Framework has 15 days (starting April 11, 2026) to finalize its candidate and submit him to the President of the Republic.
A member of the Reconstruction and Development Coalition explained that “our nomination of Al-Sudani is ongoing and there is no going back on it, as he represents the first winner in these elections, and choosing him is a positive and direct message to the public who cast their vote,” considering that any talk of a “compromise candidate” or hinting at “early elections” would represent a negative message that undermines the voter’s confidence and repeats crises related to the interpretation of the “largest bloc” and electoral entitlements.
Walid concluded his statement by saying, "There is still an opportunity to correct the course within the framework and reach a decision before the deadline expires next Sunday," warning that the deadline passing without an agreement would leave the House of Representatives with open options that could lead to new crises, further complicating the political landscape.
According to the constitution, the candidate tasked with forming the government must present his ministerial program and the names of his cabinet members to parliament within a maximum period of 30 days to obtain a vote of confidence. link