Parliament rings bell on president vote session

Shafaq News/ Division bells sounded in the Iraqi parliament headquarters to summon the lawmakers to the session called to elect a president of the republic.

A source told Shafaq News Agency that only 58 MPs are present from a total of 329, which means that the session will definitely be adjourned for failing to meet the quorum.

The session was scheduled for 12:00 pm (Iraq time) earlier today.

Iraq's Supreme Court on Sunday suspended the KDP candidate Hoshyar Zebari's presidential bid over graft allegations and many lawmakers said they would boycott a Monday vote for a new head of state, prolonging a political standoff.

The court said the candidacy of Hoshyar Zebari, a Western-friendly veteran Iraqi Kurdish statesman, could not proceed until corruption charges from a separate 2016 stint as finance minister were dealt with.

Sadrist movement, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), of which Zebari is a member, and al-Siyada bloc, a coalition of Sunni lawmakers, had supported Zebari's bid for president.

Al-Sadr's Bloc said on Saturday it would boycott Monday's parliament session.

The Coordination Framework said in a statement on Sunday it was against the holding of the Monday parliamentary session to pick a president.

The KDP and al-Siyada also said on Sunday they would boycott proceedings.

Since then, observers said that the parliament would not be able to convene because of the number of lawmakers boycotting the vote, prolonging a battle over the presidency and a new government being fought largely between Sadr and the pro-Iran camp.