Iraqi Court Hears First Challenge to Zaidi’s Premiership

Iraq’s Federal Supreme Court has set July 1 for its first hearing in a lawsuit challenging the validity of Ali al-Zaidi’s designation as prime minister, the first legal move of its kind since the current government was formed. The court date comes as political forces that failed to push through their ministerial nominees look for legal ways to challenge parliamentary voting procedures, amid a deepening dispute over the constitutional mechanisms for forming the government. Former lawmaker Raad al-Maliki said in a press statement that he had received the official notice by email, along with a response memorandum submitted by the president’s representative in the case. The memorandum, according to Maliki, argued that the plaintiff had no legal interest in the case and that the claim had been directed at the wrong party. It said the designation, in the plaintiff’s view, was made by the largest parliamentary bloc, not by the president. It also raised issues related to the nominee’s competence, political ties and ownership of media outlets, and whether these could create a conflict of interest after he took office. Al-Zaidi, a businessman who owns companies with his brother and partners, including Al-Oweis, Al-Janoob, and Dijlah TV, remains a little-known figure in Iraqi politics. His designation caught political circles by surprise. The memorandum said that, after taking office, senior officials must give up private interests to avoid conflicts of interest or risk legal accountability. Maliki said he would press ahead with the lawsuit and file a detailed response to the arguments presented. He said the challenge concerned “public law” and should not be tied to direct personal interest. Legal view Constitutional expert Ali al-Tamimi said the Federal Supreme Court, which operates under Law No. 30 of 2005 and its amended rules of procedure, first reviews legal interest and proper standing before considering the substance of a case. He said the court would examine whether the designation was constitutional under Article 76, whether the requirements for nominating the prime minister and completing the cabinet had been met, and whether the parliamentary vote was valid. Tamimi said the court could seek additional evidence, including recordings or the testimony of technical experts. He said predicting its decisions was “extremely difficult,” and that it could either reject or accept the case. On the political side, Tamimi said al-Zaidi was a “consensus candidate” after former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki withdrew from the race. He said al-Zaidi’s nomination had the support of a major parliamentary bloc within complex political balances. Tamimi said the court could delay its ruling for more than a month, adding that its decisions are final, binding and cannot be appealed.