Iraq still has no government. The former governor of Najaf, Adnan al-Surfi, who was last in charge of forming a government, has thrown in the towel. President Barham Salih has now appointed the head of the secret service, Mustaraf al-Kasimi, to form a new government.

Al-Kasimi has held talks with almost all political factions. He was long considered a US man in Iraq. Recently he has intensified his relations with Iran.

In recent days, several meetings at the highest level have taken place in Iraq in succession. Last week, the Iranian General Ismail Kaani was in Baghdad. Kaani was put in charge of relations with Iraq following the assassination by the United States in January of the high-ranking Iranian General Qassem Soleimani. During his visit to Baghdad, he held talks with various political groups on the question of the succession to Prime Minister-designate al-Surfi.

On Wednesday, the two major Kurdish parties PUK (Patriotic Union of Kurdistan) and KDP (Kurdistan Democratic Party) announced their support for al-Kasimi in the event of al-Surfi's withdrawal.

Most of the country's political factions took part in the session to determine official candidate list in the presidential palace on Thursday. The previous candidates had presented a different picture.

Adnan al-Surfi had been charged with forming the government on 17 March. However, he had to give up before he could call a parliamentary session and present a cabinet draft. Before al-Surfi, the former Minister of Communications Mohammed Tawfik Allawi had failed to form a government.

Former Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi resigned at the end of 2019 after a wave of protests against corruption, the political elites and mismanagement. The protests have been interrupted due to the Corona pandemic, but dozens of people continue to wait in protest tents in Tahrir Square in Baghdad.

Al-Kasimi must now put together a government cabinet within thirty days. Because of the curfew, it is unclear when Parliament will meet.