Coordination Framework says the selection of Iraqi Parliament Speaker rests with Sunni forces

Shafaq News/ A leading figure in the Coordination Framework, an alliance of mainly Iran-backed Shiite political forces in Iraq, on Sunday, said that the decision to retain Mohsen al-Mandalawi as Speaker of Parliament lies with the Sunni political forces.

"There is a will to resolve the issue of electing the Speaker of Parliament after al-Arbaeen pilgrimage," said Mokhtar al-Moussawi, a member of the Coordination Framework, speaking to Shafaq News Agency. "The door for new candidacies cannot be reopened; the [Coordination] Framework has firmly rejected this."

Al-Moussawi noted that "the frontrunner currently is Mahmoud al-Mashhadani, but circumstances can change at any moment, shifting the direction once again. Nothing is certain or settled in this matter."

He added, "The election of the Speaker of Parliament cannot occur without the agreement of the Sunni political forces. It is difficult to resolve this issue without their consensus, meaning that Mohsen al-Mandalawi will remain as Speaker of Parliament. This decision rests with the Sunnis, not the [Coordination] Framework."

The lawmaker said that his bloc "does not support a single candidate for the Speakership," stressing that "each party member within the alliance backs a particular candidate. However, they will certainly support any candidate unanimously endorsed by the Sunni political bloc."

"The Framework is aligned with the Sunni consensus on any candidate they clearly and publicly support," al-Moussawi continued, noting that "the recent consensus around al-Mashhadani has increased his chances."

On Wednesday, the State of Law Coalition, led by Nouri al-Maliki, revealed the possibility of amending the internal rules of the Iraqi Parliament, a move long advocated by Mohammed al-Halboosi, the leader of the Takaddom (Progress) Party, to allow his party to present a candidate for his succession.

This development follows the announcement by six Sunni parliamentary forces on Tuesday night that they will put forward a new candidate to replace the ousted Speaker Mohammed al-Halboosi, claiming that they have a parliamentary majority.

According to Shafaq News Agency sources, the candidate agreed upon by the six Sunni factions is Ziad al-Janabi, a close ally of al-Halboosi.

Political forces are engaged in ongoing discussions and meetings to find a solution to the issue of the Parliamentary Speakership, which has remained unresolved for more than nine months since Mohammed al-Halboosi was dismissed by a federal court ruling in November 2023.