Al-Mashhadani calls for emergency meeting of Iraqi political blocs to finish disputes

Shafaq News/ Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament, Mahmoud Al-Mashhadani, called on political forces to meet under the framework of the State Administration Coalition.

In a statement, Al-Mashhadani emphasized that the urgent and expanded meeting should be dedicated to discussing the challenges facing Iraq, with the goal of unifying the national vision and resolving recent political disagreements. He stressed this is essential "in light of national responsibility and the consequences of the political scene."

Earlier on Wednesday, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani had also called on members of the State Administration Coalition to hold a meeting at the government palace on Saturday, February 8.

A statement from Al-Sudani clarified that the meeting's purpose is to discuss the general situation in the country and address several national level issues.

The State Administration Coalition has called for an urgent meeting on Saturday at the government palace in Baghdad to deliberate on a range of "important" issues, according to a source familiar with the matter, as reported by Shafaq News.

The source pointed out that the recent escalation against the Federal Court, following its order to suspend the implementation of three controversial laws, will be at the top of the agenda.

The Iraqi political scene saw rapid developments starting Tuesday, after the Federal Court issued a ruling halting the implementation of laws related to general amnesty, amendments to the personal status law, and the return of properties to their owners in Kirkuk.

In response to the court's decision, Sunni political forces escalated their stance, with protests leading to a halt in official work in three Sunni – majority provinces. There have also been hints of further escalatory actions, including potential withdrawals from parliament and the government, as well as organizing protest demonstrations, which began in Mosul today.

Meanwhile, the Coordination Framework expressed its support for the court's actions, stressing its constitutional right to oversee legislation. This ruling followed a challenge submitted by several lawmakers regarding the parliamentary vote on the laws in question. Observers are now waiting for a final ruling from the court in the coming weeks.

Earlier today, the Iraqi Supreme Judicial Council issued a fatwa stating that it is not permissible to suspend the implementation of laws passed by the parliament before they are published in the official gazette.

The council also emphasized that decisions related to the amendment of the personal status law and the return of properties to their rightful owners should be delayed until further decisions are made. It also stressed that courts are obligated to implement the general amnesty law.

The "State Administration" Coalition includes Shiite parties (the Coordination Framework), Sunni blocs (Taqaddum and Al-Siyada), and Kurdish parties (the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan).

It is a political alliance that was formed in 2022 following the political deadlock after the October 2021 parliamentary elections. It includes key Shiite, Sunni, and Kurdish parties and serves as the primary governing coalition in the country.