Iraqi Political Blocs Challenge Parliament Procedures Over Confidence Vote in al-Zaidi Cabinet
Al-Azm and State of Law alliances threaten legal action as disputes deepen following partial approval of new government
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Political tensions inside Iraq’s parliament are escalating after major blocs voiced strong objections to the procedures used during the confidence vote on Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi’s cabinet, with both the al-Azm Alliance and the State of Law Coalition warning they may resort to the Federal Supreme Court.
The controversy follows a parliamentary session held on Thursday, in which lawmakers convened in the presence of Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani and senior Iraqi political leaders to vote on the new government.
At the conclusion of the session, 14 out of 23 ministers were approved, while disputes over several remaining portfolios forced the Speaker of Parliament to adjourn the meeting to a later date.
Key ministries—including Interior, Defense, Reconstruction, Planning, Higher Education, Labor and Social Affairs, Youth and Sports, Culture, Migration, and others—remain without approved ministers, pending further negotiations and candidate nominations.
Speaking on a Kurdistan24 TV show hosted by Zino Mohammed, al-Azm Alliance leader Salah Delimi criticized the parliamentary process and said his bloc rejects the voting procedures used during the session. He confirmed that legal steps are being prepared, including possible recourse to the Federal Supreme Court.
Delimi also revealed that his bloc has begun collecting signatures within parliament seeking the dismissal of the Speaker of Parliament, arguing the move is aimed at restoring institutional stability.
“The al-Azm Alliance, under the leadership of Muthanna al-Samarrai, fully supports the government of Prime Minister al-Zaidi and political stability,” Delimi said. “But we will not allow parliament to become a partisan platform or an obstacle to the public interest.”
From the State of Law Coalition, senior figure Salah Bushi also strongly criticized the parliamentary session, accusing its management of violating political and ethical norms during the confidence vote.
“In the session, political and ethical agreements were violated, as there was a clear intention to prevent State of Law ministers from gaining confidence,” Bushi said in remarks to Kurdistan24.
He stressed that the State of Law Coalition is one of the founding forces of Iraq’s governing political alliance, known as the “Alliance of Strong Forces,” and said its objective is to improve governance rather than pursue personal or factional interests.
“Our project is not a personal project,” Bushi added. “It is a national project aimed at serving Iraq’s interests.”
The growing dispute highlights widening rifts between Iraq’s political factions even after the formal approval process for the new cabinet, raising concerns that institutional disagreements could soon shift from parliament to the judiciary.
Analysts note that continued deadlock over remaining ministerial posts could further delay the formation of a fully functional government, as negotiations are expected to continue in upcoming parliamentary sessions.