Iraq's Sunni bloc narrows parliament speaker shortlist

Shafaq News – Baghdad

Iraq’s Sunni political forces are preparing to choose a new speaker for parliament, a source told Shafaq News on Tuesday.

According to the source, the National Political Council — a Sunni political coalition formed after Iraq's 2025 parliamentary elections — reviewed a shortlist of candidates and verified that each meets the criteria set for the role. The potential candidates include former Speaker of Parliament Mohammed al-Halbousi, head of the Progress (Taqaddum) party, former Education Minister Mohammed Tamim, Defense Minister Thabet Al-Abbasi, Muthanna al-Samarrai, leader of Al-Azm (Determination Party), as well as Salem Al-Issawi and Mahmoud Al-Qaisi.

The council has drawn up 25 points outlining the qualifications and responsibilities required for the parliament speaker. Another session is scheduled after Thursday’s meeting to select the final nominee.

On November 11, Iraq concluded its sixth parliamentary elections since 2003, with a voter turnout exceeding 56%. Iraq’s political system operates on a power-sharing formula, with the prime minister traditionally drawn from the Shia community, the parliament speaker from the Sunni community, and the president from the Kurdish community.

With Sunni parties securing 77 seats in the recent elections, they are expected to shape the negotiations not only over the premiership but also over the presidency and speakership.

Read more: Iraq's new parliament: No bloc can impose, none can be ignored