Mr al-Maliki remains a powerful force, despite years of claims he has fueled sectarianism and failed to stop ISIL’s expansion.
Published January 24, 2026
Former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is on the brink of a return to power after being nominated as the next prime minister by a coalition of Shiite political blocs with a majority in parliament.
The Shiite Coordination Framework announced on Saturday that it had selected Islamic Dawa Party leader al-Maliki as its candidate based on his “political and administrative experience and role in running the country.”
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A central figure in Iraqi politics, the 75-year-old first became prime minister in 2006, when Iraq appeared to be disintegrating amid a wave of violence sparked by the 2003 US-led invasion.
Although he resigned in 2014 after the Islamic State (ISIS) group overran much of the country, he remains an influential politician, leading the Coalition for the Rule of Law and maintaining close ties with Iranian-backed groups.
The move paves the way for negotiations to form a new government, which must take control of powerful armed groups close to Iran, such as Asaib al-Haq, while facing increasing pressure from the United States to dismantle them.
strong force
Mr al-Maliki is the only Iraqi prime minister to serve two terms since the US-led invasion, and over the years he has succeeded in placating both Tehran and Washington, becoming a power broker whose approval is considered essential for any coalition.
He remains a powerful force in Iraqi politics, despite long-standing accusations that he has stoked sectarian tensions and failed to prevent ISIL from seizing large swathes of the country a decade ago.
The politician spent nearly a quarter of a century in exile after campaigning against former President Saddam Hussein’s rule, but returned in the wake of the 2003 invasion that toppled the country’s longtime leader.
He became a member of the De-Baathization Committee, which barred members of Saddam’s Ba’ath Party from public office.
The U.S.-authored plan was widely criticized for fueling the rise of a post-invasion rebel group by purging thousands of experienced civil servants, who were disproportionately Sunnis.
