Baghdad (Hatha Al-Youm) – Kurdistan Regional Government Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Sunday congratulated State of Law coalition leader Nouri al-Maliki on his nomination for the post of Iraqi prime minister, a move that could pave the way for difficult negotiations to form a new government facing complex domestic and regional pressures.
According to a statement from the Kurdistan Regional Government, Barzani spoke with Maliki in a phone call, expressing his best wishes for success and for “launching a new phase dedicated to serving all Iraqis.”
During the call, Barzani stressed the need to resolve outstanding disputes between Erbil and Baghdad “in accordance with the constitution and with respect for the federal entity of the Kurdistan Region.” These disputes include long-standing disagreements over oil revenues, the federal budget, and disputed territories, all of which have remained core points of tension between the two sides.
The call came a day after the Coordination Framework, the Shiite alliance holding a parliamentary majority, announced on Saturday that it had selected Maliki as its nominee for prime minister, citing his “political and administrative experience and his role in managing the state.”
Maliki, the longtime leader of the Islamic Dawa Party, served two consecutive terms as prime minister from 2006 to 2014, a period marked by sectarian violence and strained relations with Sunni and Kurdish political forces. His tenure ended following the Islamic State’s takeover of large parts of Iraq in 2014.
Despite stepping down, Maliki has remained a central figure in Iraqi politics through his leadership of the State of Law coalition and his close ties with influential armed factions.
Under the constitution, parliament must elect a president within 30 days of its first session, after which the president will task the nominee of the largest parliamentary bloc with forming a government.
The next government will face major challenges, including managing Iraq’s delicate balance in relations with the United States and Iran, as well as responding to mounting U.S. pressure to dismantle armed factions aligned with Tehran that wield significant influence and often operate independently of state authority.
Maliki’s nomination marks a return to the executive forefront for a figure accused by critics of fueling divisions in the past. However, the swift congratulations from the Kurdistan Region’s leadership—preceded a day earlier by a similar message from Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani—may signal a pragmatic desire by the region to open a new negotiating chapter with Baghdad, regardless of who leads the next government, in order to secure its constitutional rights.