Coordination Framework eyes Sunni-majority provinces with tactical unity ahead of elections

The Coordination Framework (CF) has announced that it will field a unified electoral coalition in three strategically important provinces—Ninewa, Diyala, and Salahuddin—for Iraq’s upcoming parliamentary elections. The move mirrors the Shia coalition's approach during the 2023 provincial council elections and reflects a deliberate effort to maximize Shia representation in provinces where Sunni Arabs remain a numerical plurality but where Shia parties still command considerable support.

Under Iraq’s proportional representation system, forming coalitions is a rational strategy for smaller or less dominant constituencies seeking to convert votes into seats. In this context, the CF’s unified front in Sunni-majority but demographically mixed provinces is intended to prevent Shia votes from being split across competing lists. This approach stands in contrast to other provinces, where CF constituent parties are set to compete independently.