Source: Leader Barzani leads talks to resolve Iraqi Parliament Speaker vacancy

Shafaq News/ A pivotal meeting will be held on Thursday in Erbil, where Kurdistan Democratic Party leader Masoud Barzani, Sovereignty Party (Al-Siyada) head Khamis al-Khanjar, and Iraqi lawmakers will discuss the ongoing deadlock over the election of the Iraqi Parliament Speaker.

Due to disagreements, political forces have failed to elect a new Speaker since Mohammed Al-Halbousi's removal in November 2023.

An informed political source told Shafaq News Agency, “Barzani's mediation efforts received backing from the Shitte Coordination Framework (CF) and most Sunni political groups to unify viewpoints and reconcile differences, particularly among Sunni factions.”

The ongoing deadlock in electing a new Speaker stems from disagreements among Sunni blocs over the position.

Despite several parliamentary sessions, the crisis remains unresolved. The "Taqaddum" bloc, led by former Speaker al-Halbousi, insists on retaining the position as its right, while the "Sovereignty" bloc, led al-Khanjar, and other Sunni groups argue that the role should be allocated to the Sunni community as a whole rather than a specific party or bloc.

The CF had set a deadline for the Sunni blocs to elect a new speaker, but this effort did not resolve the disputes.

Recently, Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani, during his first visit to Baghdad in six years on July 3, stepped in to mediate among Sunni factions, meeting with key political leaders and officials. His efforts focused on facilitating an agreement on a candidate for the speaker role, including bringing together al-Halbousi and al-Khanjar to help resolve the ongoing crisis.