ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Iraq’s State of Law Coalition said Sunday that former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki will be the sole nominee of the Coordination Framework for the premiership in the next phase following the reported withdrawal of the incumbent Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani from contention.

Iraq's ruling Shiite Coordination Framework on Saturday nominated State of Law Coalition leader Nouri al-Maliki to reassume the post of prime minister for a third term, his office confirmed to The New Region.

The decision comes after months of meetings and deliberation between the Framework's member parties, with several potential candidates vying for the post, including Sudani, who has held office since 2022.

Zuhair al-Jalabi, a member of the State of Law Coalition, told The New Region on Sunday that Sudani’s withdrawal was the result of political understandings reached after disputes during his time in office. He said some issues from Sudani’s tenure warranted accountability, but that a settlement could reduce potential consequences.

Jalabi said the coming period requires a strong leader capable of making decisive choices, arguing the alliance does not want to repeat past mistakes by selecting a weak or technocratic figure.

He said that Maliki has extensive experience in state institutions and can take difficult decisions, including on restricting weapons to the authority of the state, an area in which he said Sudani failed to make significant impact.

Jalabi said the Coordination Framework had initially left the choice of prime minister to Maliki and Sudani. After Sudani withdrew in favor of Maliki, he said no bloc within the alliance objected. “There is currently no other candidate for prime minister besides Maliki,” he said.

The Coordination Framework discussed forming the next government and naming a prime minister during a meeting Saturday, its media office said. The group said the talks produced “important developments and advanced indicators” toward resolving the issue.

In a statement, the media office said the alliance held its 258th regular meeting at the office of Muhsin al-Mandalawi, describing the atmosphere as positive and the discussions as responsible, aimed at meeting constitutional requirements and ensuring political stability.

Maliki previously served two terms as prime minister from 2006 to 2014, stepping down during his second term after major security setbacks linked to the rise of the Islamic State (ISIS), amid long-standing allegations of corruption. His State of Law Coalition placed third in the elections with 29 seats.

The former premier's State of Law Coalition came in third place in Iraq’s recent parliamentary elections, securing 29 seats out of the 329-seat legislature. The other two top parties were the Reconstruction and Development Alliance, led by Sudani, and the Sunni Taqadum Party, led by Mohammed al-Halbousi.

The next step in the Iraqi government formation is the election of the president, which must be completed by January 28.

The elected president then names a prime minister-designate selected by the parliament’s top bloc, in this case Framework’s Maliki, and tasks him with forming the next Iraqi cabinet in accordance with constitutional timelines.