KDP leaders congratulate newly-elected Iraq Parliament Speaker

Leaders of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) on Monday congratulated the newly-elected speaker, stating they hope he will tend to his responsibilities guided by the constitution.

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Leaders of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) on Monday congratulated the newly-elected speaker, stating they hope he will tend to his responsibilities guided by the constitution.

On Saturday, Iraqi lawmakers voted for Mohamed Rikan al-Halbousi, a 37-year-old engineer and former governor of Anbar province, as parliamentary speaker. The vote initiated the 90-day process to form a new federal government.

Masoud Barzani, KDP leader, telephoned Halbousi on Monday evening to “congratulate him” on winning the post and “wished him success in his duties,” read a statement the party’s website released.

The statement gave no further details.

In a letter to Halbousi, the Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and deputy leader of KDP, Nechirvan Barzani, also extended his best wishes and said he hoped the new speaker maintains unity between all the components of Iraq and performs his tasks “guided by all the Articles of the Constitution.”

Halbousi has visited the Kurdistan region on several occasions in the past and maintains good relations with Kurdish parties.

Following the election of the speaker, the traditionally-Shia first deputy post was given to the Sairoon list’s Hassan al-Kaabi. A day after an inconclusive vote for the second deputy, the KDP’s candidate, Bashir Hajji Haddad, was elected on Sunday.

The KDP leaders’ congratulations come as the Iraqi parliament announced they are open to nominations for the presidency of Iraq, a traditionally Kurdish-held post as they are the second largest ethnic group in the country.

Editing by Nadia Riva