New term, new battle: Six candidates chase Iraq’s speakership
Shafaq News
With the fifth parliamentary term drawing to a close, the newly elected legislature now faces the task of selecting Iraq’s next parliament speaker. The National Political Council — a Sunni political coalition formed after Iraq’s 2025 parliamentary elections — reviewed a shortlist of candidates and verified that each meets the criteria set for the role.
Six figures have emerged as leading contenders: former Speaker Mohammed Al-Halbousi, Al-Azm leader Muthanna Al-Samarrai, former Education Minister Mohammed Tamim, Defense Minister Thabet Al-Abbasi, MP Salem Al-Issawi, and MP Mahmoud Al-Qaisi.
Mohammed Al-Halbousi
Former Speaker Mohammed Rikan Hadid Al-Halbousi, head of the Taqaddum (Progress) Party, was born in 1981 in Al-Garma in Al-Anbar Province. He holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Al-Mustansiriyah University and completed postgraduate studies in construction methods and project management. Before entering national politics, he worked as an engineer in infrastructure and contracting projects across Al-Anbar.
Al-Halbousi began his political career after 2014, rising quickly within the Sunni political sphere. He entered parliament in 2014 and again in 2018, and later served briefly as governor of Al-Anbar from August 2017 to September 2018. That same year, he became Speaker of Parliament, becoming the youngest figure to occupy the post. His term ended in November 2023 after Iraq’s Federal Supreme Court removed him from parliament on forgery charges.
In April 2025, Iraq’s judiciary cleared him of those charges, closing the case. His party, Taqaddum, secured 27 seats in the 2025 elections, emerging as the leading Sunni bloc.
Muthanna Al-Samarrai
Muthanna Abdul Sattar Fadhel Al-Samarrai, leader of the Al-Azm (Determination) Alliance, was born in 1974 in Samarra of Saladin Province. He holds a degree in engineering and spent years in the private sector before entering politics.
Al-Samarrai gained national visibility during the Sunni political realignment that followed the 2018 elections and became one of the most active parliamentary voices within Al-Azm. His standing grew further when he assumed leadership of the alliance, which positioned itself as a counterweight to Al-Halbousi’s Taqaddum. In the 2025 parliamentary elections, his party secured 15 seats.
Thabet Al-Abbasi
Defense Minister Thabet Mohammed Saeed Al-Abbasi was born in Mosul in 1968. He holds a degree in military sciences from the Iraqi Military College and has completed advanced courses in strategic studies. Al-Abbasi served for many years within Iraq’s military institutions, taking roles related to training, logistics, and operational planning.
He gained national prominence after becoming Minister of Defense in January 2023, overseeing restructuring efforts within the Iraqi Armed Forces, improvements in coordination between federal and regional forces, and operations against ISIS remnants in the desert and border regions.
Al-Abbasi leads the Al-Hasm al-Watani bloc (The National Resolve Alliance), which secured 5 seats in the 2025 elections.
Mohammed Tamim
Former Minister of Education Mohammed Iqbal Omar Abdullah Tamim was born in Kirkuk in 1973. He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Baghdad University and later completed a doctorate focused on governance and public administration.
Before joining the Iraqi cabinet, Tamim worked in academia and held advisory posts related to administrative reform. He first entered parliament in 2010 as part of the Iraqiya List, later transitioning into ministerial roles. Between 2011 and 2014, he served as Minister of Education, concentrating on curricular updates and the rehabilitation of schools in areas affected by conflict.
His candidacy attracts parties seeking a technocratic figure with administrative experience rather than a traditional power player.
Salem Al-Issawi
Salem Matar Issa Al-Issawi, a Sunni politician from Al-Anbar, was born in 1972 in Fallujah. He holds a degree in business administration and initially worked in the private sector before moving into political life.
Al-Issawi is a key member of Iraq’s Sovereignty Alliance (Al-Siyada), led by Khamis al-Khanjar. The alliance won 9 seats in the 2025 parliamentary elections.
Mahmoud Al-Qaisi
Mahmoud Dahham Al-Qaisi, a current parliamentarian from Al-Anbar, was born in 1965 in the Qaim district near the Iraqi-Syrian border. He holds a bachelor’s degree in law and spent much of his early career in legal administration and provincial courts.
His political entry followed the post-ISIS stabilization period, during which he represented border communities affected by conflict and displacement. Al-Qaisi has also worked on several legislative committees focused on legal affairs and administrative integrity.
He is associated with Al-Hasm al-Watani bloc (The National Resolve Alliance), headed by another candidate, current Defense Minister Thabet Al-Abbasi.
Read more: Five contenders eye Iraq's top post: PM selection looms
Written and edited by Shafaq News staff.
