Deepening divisions over Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, the disarmament of armed factions and the distribution of government posts threaten to fracture Iraq’s ruling Shiite Coordination Framework, according to sources close to the alliance. The sources describe intense polarization fueled by competing political interests, disagreements over the country’s financial crisis and disputes over vacant and previously allocated government positions. Recent public clashes among senior figures have further exposed the widening rifts. Dispute Erupts in Public Tensions erupted publicly last Saturday when Khalid al-Marsoumi, a member of the Reconstruction and Development Alliance led by former Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, called for the prosecution of former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. Al-Marsoumi accused Maliki of “destroying society and spreading discord,” citing the fall of nearly a third of Iraq’s territory to Daesh in 2014, when Maliki was prime minister. Hisham al-Rikabi, director of Maliki’s media office, responded: “Enough hypocrisy and political grandstanding. Those who speak today about the fall of the provinces and discord must stop exploiting the tragedies of Iraqis in their political disputes.” Last week, the Reconstruction and Development parliamentary bloc announced it would suspend its attendance at parliamentary sessions in protest against what it described as “systematic violations and irresponsible behavior that some lawmakers insist on pursuing.” The bloc said such conduct amounted to “malicious smear campaigns and systematic targeting of the Reconstruction and Development Alliance and its leadership.” Criticism and accusations directed at the alliance and its leader, Sudani, frequently come from lawmakers and political figures affiliated with other Coordination Framework parties. Al-Zaidi’s Frustration Sources close to the government and the Coordination Framework told Asharq Al-Awsat that sharp polarization had taken hold within the alliance. They attributed the divisions to some factions aligning themselves with Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi while others sought to cast doubt on his management of the state and obstruct his efforts to disarm armed groups. The sources also pointed to objections to Zaidi’s foreign visits, particularly his recent trip to Syria, and competition over vacant government positions, including the premiership and leadership of the National Security Service. They said Zaidi was frustrated by the polarization and attempts by certain blocs and parties to undermine many of his powers and pressure him over efforts to combat corruption and disarm armed factions. The prime minister also finds himself heavily constrained by Coordination Framework leaders who insist on meeting with him every week, in parallel with his regular weekly Cabinet meetings, the sources added. Last Saturday, Humam Hamoudi, head of the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq, said Zaidi was the Coordination Framework’s choice for prime minister. “The Coordination Framework is accountable before God and the people for formulating visions and policies in accordance with the law and constitution, while Zaidi is responsible for implementing them through his government’s mechanisms,” Hamoudi said. Observers interpreted the remarks as reflecting the alliance’s dominance over government decision-making and the limited authority exercised by the prime minister. Political analyst Ihsan al-Shammari, head of the Center for Political Thinking, said the Coordination Framework, which had maintained its cohesion through two successive governments, was now facing serious disagreements stemming from competing interests and conflicting positions on several issues. “Foremost among these disputes are the distribution of government posts, the handling of corruption cases and the issue of weapons, all of which could expose the Coordination Framework to the risk of a split,” Shammari told Asharq Al-Awsat. Leadership Rivalries Shammari said the long-running struggle for leadership within the Coordination Framework had become increasingly evident in the rivalry between Maliki and former Prime Minister Sudani. The dispute, he explained, reflected a broader contest for leadership and attempts to impose influence and control over decision-making within the alliance. Dispute Over Armed Factions Shammari identified the weapons issue as one of the alliance’s most significant sources of division, extending beyond Maliki and Sudani to other Coordination Framework factions. Most of its members favor keeping weapons in the hands of armed groups, although this is not a position shared by all parties, he said. The issue has created a crisis between the prime minister’s push for rapid progress toward bringing all weapons under state control and factions unwilling to relinquish their arms amid mounting US pressure. Shammari warned that the Coordination Framework’s failure to meet US demands to dismantle armed structures operating outside state authority could deepen its divisions. He said the risk was particularly acute if President Donald Trump’s administration resorted to a maximum-pressure campaign that could include sanctions and other measures. Such developments, he argued, could accelerate the alliance’s fragmentation. Iran’s Role in Preserving Unity Despite the mounting tensions, Shammari noted that the Coordination Framework and Iraq’s Shiite political forces had weathered major political and popular upheavals since 2019. What distinguished the period following the formation of Sudani’s government, he said, was the presence of a political force capable of managing the alliance’s internal balance, containing disputes and preserving a minimum level of cohesion among its members. Shammari noted that Iran had been the principal external factor preventing the Coordination Framework from breaking apart. He explained that Tehran continues to regard the alliance’s survival, despite its internal divisions, disputes and mutual accusations, as a means of strengthening its influence over Iraqi decision-making and maintaining a political umbrella that protects its influence in the country. “As long as this factor remains in place, Iran will apparently continue working to prevent the Coordination Framework from splintering and preserve its cohesion, even if only formally,” Shammari said. He cautioned, however, that Iranian influence did not guarantee the alliance’s survival.
