On the evening of April 20, a powerful coalition of Shi’ite political parties known as the Coalition Framework sat down in Baghdad to try to choose a new prime minister for the country.
The prime minister of Iraq is a Shi’ite, while the president of the country is Kurdish, a feature of the political system since 2003. Because of a desire for consensus, the Shi’ite parties seek to coordinate their choice and then present it to parliament.
It has been five months since Iraq had an election in November, 2025. However, the parties can’t agree on a prime minister. Back in January, it appeared that Nouri al-Maliki, a former prime minister, would be the choice.
However, US President Donald Trump opposed Maliki and threatened Iraq. Then came the US and Israeli strikes on Iran. All of this led to chaos. Now, the Shi’ites are trying to find someone to choose. Maliki is one choice. Current Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani is another choice.
The US is watching closely. Reports at Al-Hadath and Alhurra both say that the US has suspended some security cooperation with Baghdad and is withholding dollar transfers in order to pressure Iraq to investigate attacks on Americans in Iraq.
Iran has preferred that Iraq choose weak prime ministers
On April 20, rumors circulated in Iraq that the Coordination Framework had nominated Bassem al-Badri, a compromise candidate, for prime minister. Badri is a relative unknown in Iraq. However, Iran has preferred that Iraq choose weak prime ministers.
This helps Iran control Iraq via a group of Shi’ite militias called the Popular Mobilization Forces. These groups carried out hundreds of drone and missile attacks in Iraq over the last few months.
They also reportedly targeted Saudi Arabia. In addition, they kidnapped American journalist Shelly Kittelson. Iran sent IRGC Quds Force head Esmail Qaani to Iraq on April 19 to pressure Iraq to come to a deal and also to meet with the militias.
It is not clear what the Coordination Framework will do now. Iraq doesn’t want to anger the US too much. But Iraq also doesn’t want problems with Iran. Kurdistan 24, a local channel, noted that “earlier in the day [April 20], Kurdistan24 correspondent Dilan Barzan reported from Baghdad that most leaders of the Coordination Framework had gathered at the residence of Ammar al-Hakim.
He noted that al-Badri—reportedly backed by Nouri al-Maliki—had also arrived at the meeting.” The report said that “meanwhile, Mushriq al-Fraiji, an official in the Reconstruction and Development Coalition, told Kurdistan24 that Coordination Framework leaders convened at al-Hakim’s office, where he heads the National Forces Alliance, to discuss resolving the selection of a prime ministerial candidate.”
At the same time, Alhurra noted that “two Iraqi cabinet sources confirmed to Alhurra that the United States has halted shipments of US dollars to Iraq.”
Many things are happening behind the scenes in Iraq. With new claims that Iraqi militias carried out attacks on Saudi Arabia, and reports of divisions in the Kurdistan Region between the KDP and PUK Kurdish parties, the country is lurching from crisis to crisis.
Resolving the issue of who will be the next prime minister is only one part of this. Reports indicate Iraq’s Shi’ite parties may finally decide on April 22.