ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - The Victory Alliance, an Iraqi Shiite party led by former Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said that the Sunni parties have yet to reach an agreement on selecting a new parliamentary speaker, noting that the process could be delayed another two months.

Intra-Sunni disagreements have hindered the selection of a new Iraqi parliament speaker for nearly a year. The ruling Shiite Coordination Framework, which has been accused of intervening in the choice for the Sunni post,  announced that an agreement has been reached to hold a parliamentary session to vote on the speaker on Thursday.

The Iraqi parliament confirmed that a session will be held on Thursday to vote on the speakership.

“The Sunni-Sunni dispute is still ongoing without any solutions, and for this reason the Coordination Framework wants to hold the election session quickly, and has set tomorrow, Thursday, to do so,” Aqeel al-Rudaini, spokesperson for the Victory Alliance, told The New Region.

Rudaini said that it is possible the vote does not happen due to not being able to meet the legal quorum.

"The Coordination Framework wants to throw the solution in the hands of Parliament and let the vote of the MPS be the decisive one in light of the political differences, but this matter is rejected by various Sunni political parties. That is why there is difficulty in settling the election of the speaker tomorrow,” the spokesperson noted.

The Iraqi parliament will enter a two-month-long legislative recess in the coming days. Rudaini said it is likely that settling the speakership will be delayed until after that period once the legislature resumes its sessions.

A coalition comprised of 55 lawmakers has been formed in recent months to oppose the appointment of veteran politician Mahmoud al-Mashhadani, who has been backed by the Coordination Framework for the position. The group has endorsed MP Salem al-Issawi for the post instead.

Other Sunni parties have stated that their vote for Mashhadani is contingent on Issawi’s withdrawal, planning to boycott the session if he does not back down from the race.

Iraq’s Federal Supreme Court in November 2023 revoked the parliamentary membership of Sunni strongman Mohammed al-Halbousi and ousted him from the post of speaker. Muhsin al-Mandalawi, Halbousi’s deputy, has been filling the position as acting speaker since.

Several sessions have been held to vote on a new speaker but to no avail as none of the nominees were able to garner enough support from the lawmakers.

A sectarian power-sharing arrangement has governed Iraqi politics since the fall of Saddam Hussein’s regime, under which the post of prime minister is reserved for the Shiite component, the presidency is allocated for the Kurds, and the Sunnis get the speaker of parliament.