Exclusive: The religious authority reiterates its position: We will not interfere in the selection of the prime ministerial candidate.
The religious authority in Najaf reiterated on Monday its commitment not to interfere in the selection of the prime minister candidate, confirming its previous stance on this matter.
A source close to the religious authority told Shafaq News Agency that “the religious authority does not interfere in the matter of choosing a prime ministerial candidate,” indicating that it “has previously conveyed several messages to the forces of the Coordination Framework regarding its clear position on this issue.”
The source added that “the religious authority has closed its doors to politicians at the present stage,” indicating its refusal to engage in dialogues or consultations related to nominating candidates for senior positions.
The framework is preparing to hold a meeting this evening, Monday, to discuss nine candidates, amid the introduction of alternative names, including a consensus candidate, after the largest bloc called for naming its candidate in accordance with Article 76 of the Constitution, in light of political and security complications that may delay the resolution of the issue, according to a political source.
This meeting comes after the Speaker of Parliament called on the largest parliamentary bloc to nominate its candidate for Prime Minister within a maximum period of 15 days, following the election of the President of the Republic.
Last Saturday, the Iraqi parliament elected Nizar Amidi, the candidate of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan party, as the new president of the republic.
The Coordination Framework had officially nominated Maliki on January 24, a move that opened the door to negotiations to form the new government, but the process faltered as disagreements continued over the election of the President of the Republic, the constitutional entitlement that precedes assigning the candidate of the largest bloc to form the government.
The process of forming a government faces additional complications, most notably the declared American position regarding al-Maliki’s return to power, and the escalating security tensions in the region, which puts political forces before the challenge of maintaining the “quota system” that has been in place since 2003 or sliding towards a comprehensive political deadlock.
Shafaq.com