Shafaq News – Baghdad

Political blocs are engaged in discussions to reach an agreement on the election of the second deputy speaker of Iraq’s parliament, Bakin Rikani, a senior official in the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), told Shafaq News on Tuesday.

He said it is still “too early” to consider replacing the current candidates for the post, noting that if none of the candidates secures the necessary majority to win, it would be natural to explore “alternative solutions.”

“The third round may also remain inconclusive,” Rikani said, adding, “The KDP is conducting negotiations with other political blocs to try to resolve the contest for the position.”

He affirmed that the party’s candidate “remains the frontrunner” for the post of second deputy speaker of the Council of Representatives.

Iraq’s Council of Representatives failed to elect a second deputy speaker after a fresh second round of voting ended without a decisive outcome.

In an exclusive statement to Shafaq News, Badr Alliance leader Hadi Al-Ameri said parliament agreed to resume voting on the second deputy speaker post on Tuesday evening.

Parliament’s leadership consists of a speaker and two deputies. Under political conventions established after 2003, the speaker’s post is allocated to a Sunni Arab, the first deputy speakership to a Shiite Arab, and the second deputy speakership to a Kurd.