Iraqi Parliament to discuss election of new speaker next Saturday

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – The Iraqi parliament is set to discuss the election of a new speaker next Saturday. Mahmoud al-Mashhadani is the strongest candidate from both the Sunni and Shiite majorities.

The selection of a new speaker has become a contentious issue between Sunni forces and the Coordination Framework's desire for a strong figure in the post. Agreement on this matter seems unlikely to be easily reached in the upcoming session.

For six months, Sunnis have been unable to nominate a common candidate for the position due to political differences. However, efforts are ongoing to resolve this issue soon.

The Progress Party, which holds the largest number of Sunni seats in parliament, has endorsed Mahmoud al-Mashhadani as their sole candidate to replace Mohammed al-Halbusi, following a merger with the al-Sadara faction.

Haider al-Molla, a leader within the Azem Alliance, confirmed that the Progress Party has approved Mahmoud al-Mashhadani for the speaker role.

He emphasized that if the coordination framework forces are serious about resolving this issue, they must choose between the two candidates, now narrowed down to Mahmoud al-Mashhadani and Salim al-Issawi.

Mahmoud al-Hayyani, a member of the Fatah Alliance, stated that al-Mashhadani is the State of Law Coalition's candidate for the post.

According to recent developments, most forces within the Coordination Framework are expected to vote for Mahmoud al-Mashhadani, especially the Sunni faction, which holds the majority of seats in parliament.

Despite more than four previous attempts failing to elect a new speaker, next Saturday's parliamentary session will attempt once again. However, it remains uncertain whether there will be any new developments or if the position will continue to remain vacant.