Badr leader plans Ramadan meeting to resolve Iraqi PM nomination deadlock

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Badr Organization leader Hadi Al-Amiri has begun mediation efforts to ease divisions within Iraq’s Shiite Coordination Framework as the alliance struggles to agree on a nominee for the next prime minister, a political source told Shafaq News on Wednesday.

According to the source, Al-Amiri plans to gather bloc leaders at a Ramadan iftar or suhoor meeting in the coming days to address the stalemate and narrow differences over the premiership. The alliance remains split into three camps: one supporting State of Law Coalition leader Nouri Al-Maliki, joined by Mohsen Al-Mandalawi of the Al-Asas (Foundation) Coalition and Hussein Moanes; another opposing Al-Maliki’s bid, including Ammar Al-Hakim, head of the Al-Hikma (Wisdom) Movement, and Asaib Ahl Al-Haq chief Qais Al-Khazali; and a third taking a cautious position, comprising Al-Amiri, Islamic Supreme Council leader Hammam Hamoudi, and caretaker Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani.

A separate source earlier indicated to Shafaq News that alliance leaders had planned to meet on Monday to resolve the deadlock and choose a candidate to form the next government, but the session did not occur due to the lack of consensus. The source noted that many factions initially favored renewing Al-Sudani’s mandate, while Al-Maliki’s insistence on maintaining his candidacy, alongside objections from some Shiite factions to extending Al-Sudani’s term, prevented progress toward an agreement.

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