Iraqi lawmakers move to boot Speaker over “breaches”

Shafaq News/ Iraq’s al-Sadiqoun parliamentary bloc is set to launch proceedings to oust the Speaker of Parliament, a lawmaker told Shafaq News.

MP Adel al-Rikabi condemned what he called serious procedural breaches during a heated session, accusing the speaker of breaching the chamber’s internal rules.

“Important issues were voted on today without a legal quorum, and contentious items were passed without consensus,” he affirmed, adding that key legislation was postponed without explanation before the session was adjourned.

Earlier today, the Iraqi Parliament voted to officially establish Halabja as Iraq’s 19th province.

Additionally, Independent MP Amir Al-Maamouri warned of what he called a "dangerous precedent" following the Iraqi Parliament’s vote to establish a new province, citing the lack of clear criteria. “Parliament granted authority to the Council of Ministers on this matter, which means we are facing a very serious precedent that could lead to the division of a province into four or five separate ones,” he stated.

Al-Maamouri clarified that he does not object to the creation of Halabja province through proper legal and constitutional procedures, acknowledging the sacrifices of its people. However, he noted that there were formal objections submitted against the move.

For its part, the Badr parliamentary bloc called for the creation of a new province encompassing Tal Afar, Sinjar, and the Nineveh Plains, arguing it would help “rescue Iraq’s minorities from marginalization.”