Maliki rearranges his cards: A new candidate for the Interior Ministry with the birth of the “Alliance of the Strong”
Maliki rearranges his cards: A new candidate for the Interior Ministry with the birth of the “Alliance of the Strong”
2026-05-16
Shafaq News – Baghdad
A high-ranking political source revealed on Saturday that the State of Law Coalition, led by Nouri al-Maliki, is considering a number of names of security and military leaders to choose one of them as a second candidate to head the Ministry of Interior alongside Qasim Atta, while noting the completion of procedures to announce the new alliance under the name “Alliance of the Strong” led by al-Maliki.
The source told Shafaq News Agency that “the State of Law Coalition has begun collecting the CVs of a number of officers and military leaders known for their security and field experience, in preparation for including them in the list of candidates for the coalition’s ministries, which is expected to be passed after the Eid al-Adha holiday.”
He added that “the same applies to the candidates of Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq, led by Qais al-Khazali,” indicating that “Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi may seek to reassure the American side and obtain initial approval regarding some names, within a margin for monitoring performance that extends for six months, which allows Asa’ib to obtain its ministerial share and name its candidates, including the position of Deputy Prime Minister, which may go to Laith al-Khazali.”
In this context, Abu Mithaq al-Masari, a politician close to the coordination framework, confirmed to Shafaq News Agency that “the forces that withdrew from the Reconstruction and Development Coalition and joined al-Maliki will form a new alliance called the ‘Alliance of the Strong,’ which will be announced after the completion of understandings between its leaders.”
He pointed out that “the new alliance aims to restore balance to the political process and prevent parties close to al-Zaydi from making decisions unilaterally, in isolation from the rest of the political forces.”
Al-Masari explained that “the new alliance will discuss redrawing the map of the ministerial cabinet according to the approved cost in distributing ministries.”
He concluded by saying that “granting the Ministries of Oil and Electricity to the Reconstruction and Development Alliance is a great injustice, considering that the cost of sovereign ministries does not exceed 14 points or seats, while the two ministries have consumed more than that, even double, which prompted some of those allied with Reconstruction and Development to withdraw because of the impact of this on their political and electoral shares.”
It is worth noting that an informed political source revealed to Shafaq News Agency yesterday, Friday, that five prominent forces within the coordination framework are moving to form a new political alliance, in a development that reflects the widening disagreements within the Shiite bloc following the vote on the government formation, and the objections that accompanied it regarding the distribution of positions and the failure to pass some candidates.
This move comes hours after the National Contract bloc, affiliated with the head of the Popular Mobilization Forces, Faleh al-Fayyad, and the Sumerians movement, headed by former Labor Minister Ahmed al-Asadi, announced their withdrawal from the Reconstruction and Development coalition led by former Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, on the grounds of what they described as “marginalization and exclusion” and “breach of promises and agreements.”
MP Ammar Youssef also announced earlier on Friday his withdrawal from the Reconstruction and Development Coalition, while confirming his continued participation in the National Contract Alliance headed by Faleh al-Fayyad.
shafaq.com
