ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The speaker of the Iraqi parliament on Thursday called on the ruling Shiite Coordination Framework coalition to adhere to the constitutional deadline for nominating a prime minister, amid tensions within the Shiite powerhouse over agreeing on a unified candidate for the powerful post.
Haibat al-Halbousi said he made the call to the coalition in its capacity as the largest parliamentary bloc.
A day earlier, Iraq’s newly elected President Nizar Amedi made a similar appeal, urging the coalition to expedite naming its nominee for prime minister.
The development comes amid the Coordination Framework’s repeated failed efforts to agree on an alternative to their initial candidate, Nouri al-Maliki, after opposition from Donald Trump prompted coalition members to reconsider their decision.