Former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki has said he will continue seeking to become the next prime minister of the country. In an interview with Agence France-Presse (AFP) published on February 23, Maliki said he would not withdraw his candidacy, despite pressure from the United States. "No one has the right to say whom we can or cannot vote for," he said. Maliki's comments have added to the uncertainty over who will be chosen to be Iraq's next prime minister.
Iraq's political parties have also continued trying to choose a new president and appoint other officials in the wake of the November 2025 elections. The unsettled political situation comes as Iraq is also dealing with US-Iran tensions, a particular challenge because of Iran's support for various Iraqi Shiite parties, Iran's proximity, and the fact that there are US forces in the autonomous Kurdistan Region of northern Iraq. US Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack visited Iraq from February 22 to 23 and met with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al Sudani and other political leaders.
Maliki's comments to the AFP were published a day after he posted related comments on X. "Our national responsibility towards our people and our homeland Iraq compels us to strive and dedicate our expertise to correcting and strengthening the course of the political process," he wrote. Maliki also indicated that he believes in a democratic Iraq that has strong international partnerships. "And our hand is extended for regional and international cooperation and integration for the benefit of the peoples of the countries of the region and the world," he added. Maliki was considered to be pro-Iranian during his previous terms in office. He left office after Iraq suffered major setbacks from the rise of the Islamic State in 2014.
The stalemate to choose Iraq's new leadership is weakening the country, Iraqi Shiite political leader Ammar al Hakim said on February 22, according to Shafaq News. The Shiite Coordinate Framework, which brings together various Shiite political factions, also called for the two Kurdish parties in Iraq to agree on a presidential candidate. "The presidency has traditionally been held by a Kurdish figure for over two decades. The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), which secured the majority of Kurdish votes in the latest elections, are competing for the largely ceremonial post," the Kurdish Rudaw Media Network noted on February 24.
Various Iraqi parties appear to be considering their next moves. Maliki's party, the State of Law Coalition, has continued to back him as a candidate. The Coordination Framework and the various parties within it are also waiting to decide on a candidate to back, according to a report from Shafaq on February 23.
Bahaa al Araji, the leader of the Reconstruction and Development Coalition, an alliance of political parties founded by current Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al Sudani, indicated that the group may be reconsidering its support for Maliki, Kurdistan24 said on February 22. In a separate statement reported by Shafaq on February 24, Araji said that US pressure would not lead the Coordination Framework to change its candidate. This leaves a lack of clarity on what the Reconstruction and Development Coalition might do and what it might encourage the wider Coordination Framework to do.
A final decision of the Shiite parties may be made by February 27. "According to a responsible source within the Coordination Framework, before Friday [February 27]—that is, before the end of the new and final American deadline—there will be an important and decisive meeting of the Coordination Framework," Shafaq noted on February 24.
US Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack met with Iraq's Prime Minister Sudani on February 22. "The necessity of effective leadership that aligns itself with the policies and practices of further stabilization for Iraq and the Iraqi people is key to our mutual goals," Barrack posted on X. Barrack also met with leaders of one of the Sunni parties in Iraq and with Kurdish leaders.
In Barrack's meeting with Kurdistan Democratic Party President Masoud Barzani, the Kurdish leader discussed both the choices for president and prime minister. For the presidency, Barzani noted that the Kurdish parties would "select a candidate who reflects the will of the people of Kurdistan." He said that while the Coordination Framework would determine the nominee for prime minister, "what matters most is that the prime minister be committed to the constitution and to the principles of partnership, balance, and reconciliation."
