Iraqi Sunni blocs remain divided on new parliament speaker
Shafaq News/ Iraqi Sunni political blocs have yet to agree on a date for a parliamentary session to elect a new speaker, an Iraqi lawmaker said on Saturday, as political divisions continue to hinder the process.
Coordination Framework member Mohammad al-Baldawi told Shafaq News Agency that despite his bloc’s repeated calls for parliament to convene, most recently in the past week, Sunni blocs are still split over the timing of the vote. "There is no internal agreement within the Sunni blocs to proceed with a session to elect the new speaker,” he said, adding that while no date is set, parliament may move forward with the session in the coming days.
The Coordination Framework, representing Iraq’s main Shia political forces, voiced support last week for Mahmoud al-Mashhadani as a candidate, aiming to end the leadership deadlock since November 2023, when the Federal Court removed Mohammad al-Halbousi from his seat.
Amid this gridlock, the Taqaddum bloc, led by al-Halbousi, has asserted its claim to the role, while the Al-Siyada bloc, headed by Khamis al-Khanjar, along with other Sunni groups, advocate for broader representation.
Earlier this week, Al-Siyada announced an "emergency" meeting to unify Sunni voices on the speaker selection, inviting leaders of Sunni parties, coalitions, and blocs to discuss a consensus candidate.
In a statement, Al-Siyada urged respect for “the choice of the Sunni majority” and called for a pause on any parliamentary sessions to elect a speaker until Sunni representatives can align on a candidate.
On the other hand, six Sunni political groups — Taqaddum, al-Jamaheer al-Wataniya, al-Hasm, the Iraqi National Project, al-Sadara, and al-Mubadara — issued a joint proposal on Wednesday, recommending either a withdrawal of all current candidates in favor of al-Mashhadani or selecting a candidate from a strong Sunni majority bloc, asserting the community’s right to determine its representation.
