By Charles Maduka
Iraq’s parliament is expected to meet on Tuesday to elect a new president, who will later appoint a prime minister, with Nouri al-Maliki tipped for the role after gaining the backing of the largest Shiite alliance.
By political tradition in Iraq, the prime minister is a Shiite Muslim, the speaker of parliament is Sunni, while the presidency is reserved for a Kurd.
Parliamentary speaker Haibat al-Halbussi said the new parliament would sit on Tuesday to elect a president. He explained that once elected, the president would have 15 days to appoint a prime minister, usually nominated by the biggest Shiite bloc formed after elections.
The Coordination Framework alliance, made up of Shiite groups with different levels of ties to Iran, has already endorsed former prime minister Maliki, citing his political and administrative experience.
Kurdish parties are yet to agree on a single presidential candidate. The position is often held by the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, but this time the Kurdistan Democratic Party has also presented its own candidate, Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein.
Although Maliki’s endorsement makes his return to office likely, forming a new government could take months and may still face challenges. The incoming prime minister will have one month to form a cabinet and seek approval from parliament.
Maliki is expected to return to power at a time of major political changes in the Middle East, with reduced Iranian influence and rising tension between Tehran and Washington. His government will need to balance internal politics and relations with both Iran and the United States.
The United States is expected to push the new Iraqi government to limit the influence of Iran-backed armed groups, many of which hold seats in parliament. Iraq, however, faces economic difficulties and risks further sanctions if relations with Washington worsen.
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