KDP lawmaker exposes 'ambiguity' in Iraq Speaker election; disputes delay decision

Shafaq News/ On Wednesday, Sakvan Youssef, a representative of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) in the Iraqi Parliament, highlighted the "ambiguity and secrecy" surrounding the political discussions on electing a new Iraqi Parliament Speaker.

Youssef told Shafaq News Agency that "resolving the election of the Speaker is difficult because it requires consensus among all political parties, which is currently lacking, making it unlikely to be decided in tomorrow's session."

Notably, political forces have failed to elect a new Speaker since Mohammed Al-Halbousi 's removal in November 2023 due to disagreements. The coordination framework (CF), comprising the Shiite forces in PM Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani's government, set July 20 to resolve Sunni disputes, but no commitment to this date was made.

On Monday, the State of Law Coalition, led by Nouri al-Maliki, forecasted that Mohsen al-Mandalawi will continue to serve as the Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament until the end of the current legislative term (the fifth session), a stance opposed by most Sunni forces despite their ongoing disputes over eligibility.