The story: Reports of high-level maneuvering behind the scenes to oust the chairman of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) are fanning speculation that Shiite political alliances have reached a breaking point. Despite efforts by top figures in the ruling Shiite Coordination Framework to tamp down controversy, claims that Falih Al-Fayyadh’s leadership is coming to a close have only grown. If confirmed, any future battle over the PMU chairmanship will surely test Prime Minister Muhammad Shia’ Al-Sudani—and may threaten his own political fortunes.

The coverage: Speculation over Fayyadh’s ouster was rekindled in late January, with several reports emerging that Coordination Framework leaders had met and agreed to dismiss him.

The ensuing, and often contradictory, media speculation led to a direct response from the head of the Badr Organization.
Speaking on Jan. 29, Hadi Al-Ameri denied the claims of the meeting, saying that no such gathering had taken place.

But Ameri’s rebuttal did little to quell the controversy. Instead, there are suggestions that State of Law bloc head Nouri Al-Maliki and Asa’ib Ahl Al-Haq chief Qais Al-Khazali—both reported opponents of Fayyadh’s continued leadership—are leading a charge for change within the PMU.

Adding to the controversy, Khazali and Maliki were in early February reported to have nominated Abdul Amir Rashid Yarallah, the Chief of Staff of the Army, as Fayyad’s replacement.

However, Iraq’s Ministry of Defense in a Feb. 9 statement rebuffed the reports as “false,” further stating that any claims on military matters not published by official outlets should be deemed “baseless.”

The ongoing contention over Fayyadh’s leadership is claimed by some observers to have had wide-ranging political repercussions. Notably, legislation introduced last year aimed at reforming PMU pay and benefits was reportedly blocked due to the dispute.

Amendments to the legislation included a mandatory retirement age, with some reports suggesting the stipulation was primarily introduced with the aim of compelling Fayyadh to step down.

Referring to the recent controversy, one observer on Twitter/X lamented that PMU members “do not get their rights” so that “Fayyadh can stay in his position.”

The matter of the legal retirement age has continued to be raised by advocates of Fayyadh’s departure, with reports suggesting that the issue may be taken up by the judiciary.

Despite the criticism, one advocate of the incumbent PMU chairman praised Fayyadh as a man of “deep thought and broad culture,” and charged that it is “illogical to demand his replacement.”

The context/analysis: The alleged dispute over Fayyadh’s future reflects a set of intersecting crises coming to a head, with reported clashes over his continued leadership symptomatic of broader discord within the ruling Coordination Framework.

Political observers suggest that growing US pressure on Baghdad to disband the PMU, or further integrate it into Iraq’s military establishment, have exacerbated these divisions—and are at the root of rekindled debate over Fayyadh’s future.

Some accounts further suggest that one camp—allegedly led by figures such as Ameri, Khazali and Maliki—seeks to retain the political dominance of Iran-aligned factions in the PMU.

The second camp, said to center on Sudani and his ally Fayyadh, is thought to advocate for forging a more balanced alignment between Tehran and Washington—one that may entail openness to further negotiation on the PMU’s future status.

Adding to the complexity, the loss of Fayyadh would see Sudani lose a critical ally ahead of his anticipated campaign to secure a second term following the upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for October.

Formally established in 2014 to combat the Islamic State group (IS), the PMU has since evolved into a major political force that is officially part of Iraq’s armed forces. Its leadership is hotly contested by factions aligned with Iran as well as those seeking to integrate it more formally into formal state structures.

Fayyadh has been at the center of these dynamics since taking up his current position in 2016, navigating competing interests while initially maintaining close ties to Iran-backed factions of the PMU such as Kata’ib Hezbollah and Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq.

However, Fayyadh’s tenure has drawn criticism for blurring the lines between state authority and informal armed power, particularly after he was sanctioned by the United States in 2021 for alleged human rights abuses during anti-establishment protests in 2019.

The future: Despite efforts by top Coordination Framework figures to downplay claims of division in their ranks, the scale of speculation on Fayyadh’s ouster suggests that the crisis may be real.

Fueling further debate, Erem News on Feb. 10 claimed that an “agreement” between Shiite political factions had been reached on Fayyadh’s dismissal—but that the topic of his replacement had been left open to further discussion.

Sudani is now facing growing political and economic pressure from the Donald Trump administration over Iraq’s ties with Iran. If Washington comes to view Fayyadh’s departure as a step toward reducing Tehran’s influence, US officials may eventually exert pressure to jettison the PMU chairman.

On the other hand, if Sudani spends sorely needed political capital retaining Fayyadh he risks jeopardizing his political future by further alienating powerful Iran-aligned factions. Ultimately, Fayyadh’s future now seems unavoidably tied to that of the PMU—and the cohesion of the Coordination Framework and its support for Sudani as premier.