Three Sunni blocs endorse Coordination Framework's push for speedy election of a new parliament speaker
Shafaq News/Three major Sunni blocs in the Iraqi parliament on Tuesday said they back the Coordination Framework's call for electing a new parliament speaker within a week.
The blocs or al-Siyada (Sovereignty), al-Azm (Determination), and al-Hasm al-Watani (National Resolve), in a joint statement earlier today, urged the parliament's presidium to schedule a vote as soon as possible.
The Sunni signatories described holding a session to choose the speaker as "a crucial, necessary, and urgent step towards achieving political and institutional stability in Iraq." They warned that "continued delays could disrupt parliament's work, harm the country's highest interests, and threaten the democratic process."
The three blocs implored the parliament presidium to convene the session "as soon as possible and not to postpone it under any circumstances or pretext." They cited the request submitted by over 150 lawmakers and the parliament's previous vote to hold a speaker election session.
Their statement follows Monday's remarks by the Shiite-led Coordination Framework, which blamed Sunni groups for the vacant speaker position. The Coordination Framework also declared its intention to push for an extraordinary session to elect a speaker after a one-week deadline.
The Sunni blocs' statement further aligns with Tuesday's ruling by the Federal Supreme Court, which invalidated a portion of a previous parliamentary decision postponing the speaker election until judicial cases were resolved.
Informed sources speaking to Shafaq News Agency expect Wednesday's parliamentary session to include a vote on a new speaker. There are reportedly agreements between major parliamentary blocs to hold an extraordinary session next Wednesday for this purpose. Concurrently, the three Sunni blocs nominated Lawmaker Salim al-Issawi for speaker, aiming to fill the vacancy left by Mohammad al-Halboosi.
Iraq's Sunni political scene is witnessing intense competition to succeed al-Halboosi, whose parliamentary membership was revoked by court order for allegedly forging another lawmaker's resignation letter. While his party, Takadom (Progress), insists on retaining the position, being the largest Sunni bloc(43 seats), rivals from Sovereignty, Determination, and Resolve argue the speakership belongs to the entire Sunni community, not a specific party.
The Iraqi parliament has repeatedly failed to select a new speaker since al-Halboosi's disqualification by the Federal Court. The parliament's presidium officially terminated al-Halboosi's membership on November 21, 2023.
