Iraqi Prime Minister

Prime Minister of Iraq
Official emblem
Incumbent Haider al-Abadi since 8 September 2014
Style	His Excellency
Residence	Republican Palace, Baghdad, Iraq
Appointer	Chosen by the President; if failed, chosen by National Assembly with absolute majority
Term length	Not term limited
Inaugural holder	Abd Al-Rahman Al-Gillani
Formation	11 November 1920
Website	http://www.mofa.gov.iq/en/

The Prime Minister of Iraq is Iraq's head of government. The Prime Minister was originally an appointed office, subsidiary to the head of state, and the nominal leader of the Iraqi parliament. Under the newly adopted constitution the Prime Minister is to be the country's active executive authority. Nouri al-Maliki (formerly Jawad al-Maliki) was selected to be Prime Minister on 21 April 2006. On 14 August 2014 al-Maliki agreed to step down as prime minister of Iraq to allow Haider al-Abadi to take his place.

The Council of Representatives elected the President of the Republic and his Deputies, including the President of the Council of Ministers.

The Presidency Council then shall name a Prime Minister unanimously. According to this, The Presidency Council must agree on a candidate for the post within two weeks. In the event that it fails to do so, the responsibility of naming the Prime Minister reverts to the National Assembly. In that event, the Council of Representatives must confirm the nomination by an absolute majority. If the Prime Minister is unable to nominate his Council of Ministers within one month, the Presidency Council shall name another Prime Minister.

The Iraqi Counter Terrorism Bureau reports to the Prime Minister directly. The Iraqi CTB oversees the Iraqi Counter Terrorism Command, a formation that includes all Iraqi Special Operations Forces. As of 30 June 2009, there had been legislation in progress for a year to make the Iraqi CTB a separate ministry.