Shafaq News/ A leading figure of al-Azm (Determination) alliance, Issa al-Issawi, on Sunday that the meeting his bloc held with its Sunni nemesis "al-Takaddom" (Progress) did not touch upon renewing the mandate of the Parliament Speaker of the outgoing Iraqi parliament, Mohammad al-Halboosi.
In a statement to Shafaq News Agency, al-Issawi said, "the meeting of Takaddom and Azm leaderships did not discuss renewing the mandate of al-Halboosi on the helm of the Parliament or choosing another figure to the position."
"Media reports about a preliminary agreement between Azm and Takaddom on renewing for al-Halboosi are unfounded," he added, "after the ratification of the results by the Supreme Federal Court, the nominees for the position will be discussed."
It seems that the talks between the leaders of al-Azm, al-Khanjar, and al-Takaddom, al-Halboosi, were not sufficient to converge the views between the two leading Sunni blocs in the foreseeable future at least. Both al-Halboosi and al-Khanjar have their eyes set on the chair of the Parliament Speaker, with the latter approaching the former's tally of seats (37) with 34 after joining hands with the Masses (al-Jamaheer) bloc, Kirkuk's Arab alliance, Deciding Reform (Hasm al-Islah) Movement, and members of the National Contract (al-Aqd al-Watani) bloc.
