The Coordination Framework supports "Saleh Al-Issawi" for parliament presidency

Shafaq News / On Monday, an informed political source revealed to Shafaq News Agency that the Shiite Coordination Framework would vote for Salih Al-Issawi as Parliament Speaker.

The source revealed that the recent Framework meeting resulted in two significant decisions: Firstly, the nomination process will not be reopened. Secondly, the election for the Speaker of the House of Representatives will proceed to the second round before the end of the legislative term.

The source pointed out that "the meeting approved to hold the election session next week, and the Framework blocs will vote in favor of Salem Al-Issawi to become the new Speaker of the House of Representatives."

The Federal Supreme Court, the highest judicial authority in Iraq, decided on November 14, 2023, to end the membership of Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi. Then, the Iraqi Parliament officially terminated his membership on November 21, 2023.

The decisions came after a lawsuit against him by Deputy Laith Al-Dulaimi. The lawsuit accused Al-Halbousi of forging Al-Dulaimi's resignation from Parliament membership, leading to the Federal Supreme Court's decision to end both memberships.

On January 13, the Iraqi Parliament held an extraordinary session to choose the new Speaker. The first round of voting ended with the victory of the "Taqadum" party's Shaalan al-Karim with 152 votes out of 314. MP Salem Al-Issawi followed him with 97 votes, MP Mahmoud Al-Mashhadani with 48 votes, MP Amer Abduljabbar with six votes, and MP Talal Al-Zobaie with one vote.

However, due to verbal altercations inside the council hall, the session was adjourned without completing the election process, and no other session was held.

Since then, the political blocs have been unable to agree on a replacement for him, with each side wanting to nominate someone from their group.

Some lawmakers believe that these differences between the political parties will leave the position of Parliament speaker vacant until the end of the current parliamentary term, and there is no indication that this crisis will be resolved soon.

Notably, al-Halboosi's Taqadum Party insists on retaining the position because it holds the parliamentary majority within the Sunni component (43 seats), but his opponents from the Sovereignty (Al-Siyada), al-Azm, and Resolve (Al-Hasm) blocs believe that the position is the right of the component without being bound by a specific political title.