Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – Iraq has officially entered a new stage of political crisis as the Coordination Framework failed to meet the mandatory 15-day deadline to nominate a Prime Minister. Consequently, the nation has fallen into its second major constitutional breach of the year, following the 71-day delay that preceded the election of President Nizar Amedi. In light of this failure, legal experts and political blocs are now debating the validity of the timeline.
While some factions are desperately seeking a holiday extension by excluding Fridays and Saturdays from the count, historical precedents suggest otherwise. Specifically, the immediate nomination of Adil Abdul-Mahdi in 2018 established that the 15-day window begins the moment the President is elected, regardless of weekend breaks. Furthermore, the informed political source Hussein Arab indicated late Saturday that a breakthrough might occur within the next few hours.
He suggested that the final nominee will likely be a compromise figure rather than one of the frontrunners who have dominated headlines for the past five months. This shift comes as the largest bloc remains deeply divided over whether to rush the process or prioritize internal unity. On one hand, leaders like Humam Hamoudi and advisors to Nouri al-Maliki argue that a delay is not a sign of failure but a common feature of parliamentary systems worldwide.
They point to long formation periods in countries like Belgium and the Netherlands to justify the current pace. According to this camp, ensuring that the nominee meets the criteria of the Marjaiya and national acceptance is more important than meeting a strict legal calendar. Conversely, other powerful voices are calling for an immediate resolution to prevent total paralysis.
Parliament Speaker Haibat al-Halbousi has already taken the step of extending the legislative term by a month specifically to force the Framework’s hand. Similarly, Ammar al-Hakim of the Wisdom Movement emphasized that the political system is struggling to make decisions, urging the bloc to finalize a name before the administrative situation deteriorates further. Meanwhile, the core of the dispute remains a power struggle between the heavyweights of the Coordination Framework.
Although Nouri al-Maliki remains the official nominee of the State of Law coalition, he has reportedly asked for a formal withdrawal process through the Framework’s leadership. Simultaneously, MP Alia Nassif confirmed that the bloc has returned to square zero, once again authorizing Maliki and current PM Mohammed Shia al-Sudani to find a mutually acceptable third option.