Khamis al-Khanjar addresses Sunni differences over Speaker of Parliament election
Shafaq News/ On Tuesday, the head of the Sovereignty Alliance (Al-Siyada), Khamis al-Khanjar, announced that there is a difference of opinion, not a conflict, within the Sunni community regarding the selection of the Speaker of Parliament.
In a press conference held during his visit to Mosul, alongside the Governor of Nineveh and the Minister of Trade, al-Khanjar addressed the situation. "Disagreements among political blocs and parties over the selection of the Speaker of Parliament are natural," he stated.
Al-Khanjar elaborated, "There are perspectives on how to solve this dilemma in the coming day…The major concern is the stability of the components, which reflects on Sunni, Shia, and Kurdish stability, and this affects everyone."
Al-Khanjar continued, "There is still a difference, not conflicts, within our Sunni community, and it is under control. God willing, these issues will be resolved in the coming days," noting that "the Prime Minister and (KDP head) Masoud Barzani have made significant efforts in this direction, and God willing, you will hear good news about this matter."
This statement comes as political leaders in Iraq work to address and resolve differences over key political appointments, including selecting a new Speaker.
Earlier, Al-Khanjar launched the "Sunni Unity Initiative" to unite Sunni political forces under one umbrella and address outstanding issues, such as nominating a new Parliament speaker. However, the Taqadum Alliance, the largest Sunni bloc in the Iraqi House of Representatives, emphasized that they would only accept the initiative if it recognized their majority within the Sunni community.
Mohammed al-Alawi, a leader within Taqadum, told Shafaq News Agency, "Mohammed al-Halbousi's stance is clear. He supports any initiative that unites the Sunni house, provided it respects the rights of the Sunni majority (Taqadum). Any initiative aimed at sidelining the Sunni majority and depriving them of their rights is unwelcome."
