The coordinating framework is looking for an alternative to Maliki.
Iraqi parliamentarian: Election of a president is unlikely without prior political agreement
As pressure mounts to convene a parliamentary session to elect a new president, an Iraqi parliamentarian warned that the process could falter without a prior political agreement. Meanwhile, with the US vetoing Nouri al-Maliki's candidacy remaining in place, a leader in the Hikma Movement revealed that the coordinating body is working to identify a new candidate acceptable to all parties.
Sunday, February 15, 2026 – Iraqi MP Faisal Al-Issawi told Kurdistan 24: “There is intense pressure within Parliament to hold a session dedicated to electing the President of the Republic during this week, but there is no tangible political agreement so far, and it is difficult to proceed with the session without consensus.”
Al-Issawi pointed out that the Speaker of the House of Representatives addressed the Federal Supreme C ourt to request clarification regarding Article (72)/ Paragraph Two/ Clause (B) of the Constitution, which relates to the continuation of the President of the Republic in his duties and setting a date for the election of his successor, stressing that everyone is waiting for the court’s response.
The data indicates that the main obstacle to electing a president lies in the failure to resolve the issue of the prime ministerial candidate within the "coordination framework." According to the Iraqi constitution, the candidate of the largest parliamentary bloc must be tasked with forming the government immediately after the presidential election, thus linking the two positions to each other as a single package.
In this context, Sami Al-Jizani, a member of the Wisdom Movement, stated that "the coordination framework is continuing its political efforts to break the current deadlock, especially in light of the sensitive circumstances and challenges facing the region."
Al-Jizani revealed an "anticipated political breakthrough in the next few days through the introduction of an alternative candidate," explaining that "this candidate will be chosen by consensus of the framework's forces, and must be acceptable and non-controversial at the local, regional, and international levels."
Al-Jizani added that just as the Shiite forces contributed to supporting the Sunni component to decide the election of the Speaker of Parliament, efforts are now focused within the "Shiite House" to overcome internal differences.
Although Nouri al-Maliki remains the only official candidate of the Coordination Framework for the premiership at the moment, American reservations and the refusal to assign him have pushed the Framework's forces towards searching for alternative options to ensure the government's passage.link