Less than 25 MPs in the parliament ahead of the president vote

Shafaq News/ Less than 25 lawmakers are present inside the Iraqi parliament hall with the clock ticking on the session called to elect a president of the republic.

Beside a group of independent MPs, the only blocs who have attended so far were Emtidad (Extension), the New Generation (al-Jeel al-Jadeed), and Min Ajl al-Shaab (For the People), according to sources.

Aside from some reporters roaming through its corridors, the parliament building was seemingly blank a few minutes ahead of the session scheduled at 12:00 pm (Iraq time).

Since Saturday, the Sadrist bloc, al-Siyada, and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) blocs announced a boycott of the session. The Coordination Framework said that the decision of the boycotting parties allows time for more deliberations.