Basra governor proposed as Iraqi PM by parliament bloc, protesters reject move – report

An Iranian-backed bloc in Iraq's parliament named on Wednesday the governor of oil-rich southern Basra province for post of the country's next prime minister. The nomination was promptly rejected by Iraqi protesters who want an independent candidate to take over the government, AP reported, citing officials.

The Fatah bloc, which includes leaders associated with the paramilitary Popular Mobilization Units, has proposed Governor Asaad al-Eidani for PM. According to officials, President Barham Saleh received a memorandum from parliament, which stated that the Iran-backed bloc is allegedly the largest in the house, and as such has the right to nominate the next premier.

Earlier on Wednesday, outgoing higher education minister, Qusay al-Suhail, who had also been rejected by protesters on the streets, withdrew his nomination for prime minister.

Pressure from the demonstrations led PM Adil Abdul-Mahdi to announce his resignation late last month. That was after Iraq's most powerful religious authority, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, withdrew support for Abdul-Mahdi's government.