On Monday evening, 27 April, Iraqi President Nizar Amidi tasked businessman Ali Al-Zaidi with forming a new government, following a months-long political deadlock.
A statement from the Iraqi presidency said Amidi "tasks the nominee of the largest parliamentary bloc, Mr Ali Al-Zaidi , with forming the new government".
The move comes after Iraq's ruling coalition, the "Coordination Framework", ended one of the country's most complex political crises in nearly five months by agreeing to nominate Al-Zaidi as the new prime minister.
The decision followed seven consecutive meetings held in Baghdad that failed to produce a consensus candidate from names proposed over recent months.
Under the Iraqi constitution, a prime minister-designate has 30 days from the date of assignment to form a government.
The " Coordination Framework ", an umbrella grouping of Shia Arab political forces, chose Al-Zaidi as a consensus candidate, described as a "compromise candidate" among rival factions competing for the post.
Accordingly, and under the constitution, he will be formally tasked by the president with forming Iraq's ninth government since the 2003 US-led invasion.
A statement from the "Coordination Framework", cited by the Iraqi News Agency (INA), following a meeting at the government palace in Baghdad's Green Zone on Monday evening, said that "after reviewing the names of candidates, Mr Ali Al-Zaidi was selected as the Coordination Framework bloc's nominee, as the largest bloc in parliament, to assume the position of prime minister and form the next government".
The statement praised outgoing Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, saying "he withdrew from nomination to head and form the next government in a step that reflects a commitment to the supreme national interest, facilitating an end to political deadlock, and allowing the Coordination Framework to choose a candidate who meets the required criteria for the post of prime minister and aligns with the demands and challenges of the current phase".
Iraqi constitutional expert Ali Al-Taie told The New Arab that "from a constitutional standpoint, the prime minister-designate has 30 days to complete the task of forming the government and securing parliamentary confidence, and parliament must vote by an absolute majority (half plus one) to grant full confidence to the government".
He added that forming a government and agreeing on ministerial portfolios is unlikely to be easy "in light of the continuation of the quota system and the distribution of ministries among components". Who is Ali Al-Zaidi? Ali Faleh Al-Zaidi hails from Dhi Qar province in southern Iraq and is in his forties.
He is considered the first prime minister to come from outside the first and second tiers of Shia Arab political leadership.
Al-Zaidi, whose name is associated with the Bani Zaid Arab tribe, has not previously held any government or political position but maintains broad ties with various Shia and Sunni Arab political forces.
According to sources speaking to The New Arab , his nomination was backed by three senior leaders of the Coordination Framework alliance: Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, Nouri Al-Maliki, and Qais Al-Khazali.
Over the past decade, Al-Zaidi has emerged as one of Iraq's most prominent businessmen.
He owns Al-Janoub Investment Bank, which has been on the US Treasury sanctions list since 2024 for violating sanctions on Iran.
He also owns Al-Shaab Private University and the National Holding Company, which operates a chain of Hypermarket stores in Iraq, as well as a medical institute, various commercial centres, and a satellite television channel.
Since the US-led invasion of Iraq, eight governments have taken power.
The first was led by Iyad Allawi in 2004 and lasted about one year. Ibrahim Al-Jaafari's government followed in 2005 and lasted a full year. Nouri Al-Maliki then served two terms between 2006 and 2014. He was followed by Haider Al-Abadi, who handed power to Adel Abdul Mahdi, who resigned after about a year in office under pressure from mass protests in 2019. Mustafa Al-Kadhimi's government followed and lasted about three years.
In 2022, Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani was selected as prime minister after a severe political and security crisis triggered by the Sadrist movement's election victory, the rejection by Shia forces of Muqtada al-Sadr's majority government project, and the insistence of his rivals on a consensus government.
Iraqis are awaiting the new government with high expectations that it will address key issues, including poverty, unemployment, and public services. However, major challenges extend beyond the economic sphere.
These include the issue of armed factions, displaced families, the withdrawal of armed formations from city centres, and the return of residents barred from areas such as Jurf Al-Sakhar, Al-Awja, and Al-Owaisat, south, north, and west of Baghdad.
Ongoing disputes between the Iraqi Kurdistan Region and Baghdad, as well as human rights files raised by Sunni Arab political forces, also remain pressing concerns. Article translated from Arabic by Afrah Almatwari. To read the original, click here .