The bloc proposed an 18-point "national comprehensive initiative to get out of the current crisis and the political deadlock” facing the country, according to a statement issued on Wednesday, May 4.

One of the points proposed by the Coordination Framework was to call on Kurdish political parties to agree on a presidential candidate and find "suitable solutions” to outstanding issues between Erbil and Baghdad.

The political deadlock over forming the next Iraqi government stems from disputes between the two main Shia camps: The Saving the Homeland Alliance (which includes the Sadrist Movement, the Sunni Sovereignty Alliance and the Kurdistan Democratic Party) and the Coordination Framework.

The Coordination Framework is a coalition of Shia parties composed of the Fatah Alliance of Hadi al-Amiri, Nouri al Maliki’s State of Law Coalition, the Hikma Party led by Ammar al-Hakim and the Nasr Alliance led by former prime minister Haider al-Abadi.

Neither of the two camps can garner enough support to reach a quorum, two thirds, or 220 MPs out of 329 MPs required to elect the president.

According to the 18-point initiative, "Everyone must promise to implement several obligations,” including "organizing the relationship between the federal government in Baghdad and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in a way that guarantees the rights of all and with a high level of transparency.”

The proposal also indicated, "finding suitable solutions for the outstanding issues between them in accordance with the [Iraqi] constitution for all issues, for example, the legislation of the federal oil and gas law, ways to manage the country’s wealth and supporting the [Kurdistan] Region’s border guard forces and the Peshmerga, committing them to the leadership of the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces.”

Other points include reviewing all contracts, loans and appointments carried out by the current caretaker government and amending the Elections Law.

The initiative also stated the decision to participate in the next government or joining the opposition should be an option available to all without being imposed on any party.

In March, the leader of the Sadrist Movement, Muqtada al-Sadr, said he had given 40 daysfor the Coordination Framework to discuss and come to an agreement with other parties (aside from the Sadrist bloc) in Iraq’s parliament on forming a new government.

The 40-day deadline will expire in one week.

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