PM Zaidi Formally Assumes Office from Al-Sudani in Baghdad Handover Ceremony

Ali al-Zaidi officially assumed the duties of Prime Minister and Supreme Commander of the Iraqi Armed Forces on May 16 in a formal handover ceremony with outgoing PM Mohammed Shia al-Sudani at the Council of Ministers building in Baghdad's Green Zone. Al-Sudani praised the democratic process and expressed confidence in Zaidi's leadership. In his first address as prime minister, Zaidi pledged economic reform, an anti-corruption drive, ensuring public service delivery, and achieving 'real national partnership' between Shia, Sunni, and Kurdish communities. He announced plans to convene a national economic conference within 60 days to present a comprehensive reform roadmap aligned with his 14-pillar governance program. Zaidi also confirmed that US-Iraq defense cooperation would continue, including the September 2026 troop transition framework, and pledged to address the PMF integration into state structures 'according to the constitution.' Iraqi and international observers noted the ceremony as a historically significant moment: the peaceful transfer of power between two elected prime ministers, a stability benchmark that had eluded Iraq for much of its modern history.