Iraqi President nominates spy chief Mustafa Al-Kadhimi as new PM-designate

Iraqi President Barham Salih named intelligence chief Mustafa Al-Kadhimi as the new Prime Minister-designate in another bid to contain the political crisis. The announcement came soon after predecessor Adnan Al-Zurfi handed over his resignation citing “internal and external reasons” that prevented him from carrying out his duties.

After the announcement, Kadhimi pledged to work to form a government that puts the aspirations and demands of Iraqis as the top priority. Taking to Twitter, the PM-designate said that he will work to safeguard the sovereignty of the country, preserving rights, working to resolve crises, and pushing the economy forward.

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Close links with the US

According to media reports, Kadhimi enjoys widespread support unlike the former PM-designates and has close links with the US. The 53-year-old intel chief is the third PM-designate in just over a month as the earlier ones failed to mobilise the support from political parties. Former Prime Minister-designate Mohammed Tawfiq Allawi faced opposition from protesters as they questioned his credibility, calling him a “stooge” of the political elite. 

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