Iraq's top court upholds Shalaan al-Karim's parliamentary membership

Shafaq News/ Iraq's Federal Supreme Court, the highest judicial authority in the country, on Wednesday rejected a lawsuit seeking to invalidate the parliamentary membership of Shalaan al-Karim.

Three lawmakers, Yousif al-Kilabi, Falih al-Khazali, and Hussein Mwannes Faraj, had filed the lawsuit arguing al-Karim lacked the constitutional and legal qualifications to be a member of parliament.

They also requested a temporary injunction barring al-Karim from carrying out his parliamentary duties until the lawsuit was settled.

The court's decision stated there was "no justification to invalidate or revoke MP Shalaan Abdul Jabbar al-Karim's membership, and his membership is considered valid."

The ruling comes as al-Karim, a candidate nominated by the Progress Party led by Mohammed al-Halboosi, seeks the position of Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament.

The Iraqi parliament has repeatedly failed to elect a new speaker to succeed al-Halboosi, who was removed from the position by a Federal Supreme Court decision following a feud with a fellow Sunni lawmaker.

Despite holding several sessions since al-Halboosi's removal, the parliament has not addressed the speakership issue due to a lack of agreement among political blocs on a replacement candidate.