Six Sunni forces, led by the head of the Progress Party, Mohammed al-Halbousi, identified two paths on Wednesday evening to decide on the election of a new speaker of parliament, after a stalemate that lasted for 11 months .
This came in a joint statement by (Progress, National Masses, Al-Hasm, Iraqi National Project, Al-Sadara, and Al-Mubadara) .
According to the statement, these forces confirmed that there are two paths and no third, the first is that all competing parties withdraw their candidates, and that all national forces present commit to supporting the candidate (Mahmoud Al-Mashhadani), who has received the support of the Sunni parliamentary and political majority .
As for the second option, according to the statement, it is to take legal measures in the House of Representatives to nominate a new candidate from the Sunni political majority, supported by a large parliamentary majority; to preserve the right of the Sunni majority to nominate who represents them in this position .
These forces renewed their commitment to the necessity of resolving the issue of the council presidency with the outcomes of the comprehensive national sessions, which were attended by leaders and representatives of the political parties from the Coordination Framework forces and representatives of the two Kurdish parties, in the presence of the heads of the Sunni parties .
The joint statement called on all political forces not to be drawn into the desires of individuals and parties seeking to bypass the entitlement of the Sunni majority and confiscate the opinion of society and the public that has placed its trust and given its votes to this political group represented by more than 55 members of parliament in the House of Representatives, in a manner that ignores the democratic principles and basic national rights that guarantee the participation of all Iraqis without exclusion or marginalization in shaping their future .
The Coordination Framework, which brings together Shiite political forces, announced a week ago an agreement to support Mahmoud al-Mashhadani for the presidency of the Iraqi parliament, and set a date for the 22nd or 23rd of this month to hold the election session. Thus, the dilemma of the presidency of the parliament, which was delayed for more than 11 months after the membership of Muhammad al-Halbousi was terminated by a decision of the Federal Court in November 2023, will be resolved .
The political forces have not been able to elect a new speaker of parliament since the membership of former speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi was terminated in November 2023 due to disagreements .
The House of Representatives held several sessions to elect a new speaker, but none of them led to resolving the crisis, due to the insistence of the “Progress” parliamentary bloc, led by former Speaker of the House Mohammed al-Halbousi, on the position as an entitlement to it, while the “Sovereignty” bloc, led by Khamis al-Khanjar and other Sunni blocs, believes that the position is an entitlement to the Sunni component and not to a party or bloc.
