Iraq’s top court to hold session on dissolving Iraqi parliament

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Iraqi Federal Supreme Court is set to convene on August 30 to rule on a case regarding dissolving the country’s parliament and holding early elections, per the judiciary’s statement.

The case has been brought up to the top court by the Sadrist Movement’s Secretary General Nassar Zughayer Al-Rubaie, the statement noted.  

Powerful Shiite cleric Moqtada Al-Sadr, the head of the movement, has been pushing for dissolving the legislature and holding a new election after he withdraw his 73-parliamentarians bloc in June.

The Supreme Judicial Council has previously announced dissolving the parliament is not within its jurisdiction.

Al-Sadr’s supporters most recently staged a sit-in in front of the council’s building in Baghdad, stressing their leader’s demands.

In protest of the gathering, the judicial authorities decided to suspend their work across the country. Soon after, the cleric advised his followers to withdraw from the venue.

The pro-Iran Shiite Coordination Framework, Al-Sadr’s main rival, has been calling for forming a government and electing a president for the country before a new round of polls. More than nine months have passed since Iraq’s October elections.  

Several initiatives for holding a national dialogue among the parties have been announced by the political elites to overcome the political impasse. But none have materialized.