Iraq Prime Minister Ali Al‑Zaidi Declines Re‑election Bid Amid Cabinet and Central Bank Overhaul

Iraqi government spokesman Haider Al‑Aboudi announced that Prime Minister Ali Al‑Zaidi will not stand in the 2027 elections and will not create a new political party. The cabinet is expected to be finalized by early July, ahead of the prime minister’s planned Washington visit, and the government said it will focus on electricity, anti‑corruption measures and a budget to be presented in October.

In parallel, the prime minister has ordered a sweeping personnel reshuffle. Central Bank Governor Ali Al‑Alaq was dismissed and replaced by Nizar Nasser, formerly head of the bank’s Anti‑Money‑Laundering and Counter‑Terrorism Financing Office. The head of national security, Abu Ali al‑Basri, was also removed. The changes follow recent talks with U.S. Special Envoy Tom B*****k, which produced a strategic security and economic package and set the stage for a summit between Al‑Zaidi and President Donald Trump in Washington.

The moves signal a consolidation of power ahead of the upcoming elections and aim to address long‑standing issues of corruption, financial reforms and Iraq’s partnership with the United States.