ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – Azm Alliance leader Muthanna al-Samarrai is the closest to assume the Speaker of the Parliament position, which is expected to be determined soon by Iraq’s Sunni National Political Council, an informed source told The New Region on Monday.

The National Political Council, a coalition of Iraq's top Sunni parties, convened on Sunday at Samarrai’s residence, discussing the vision for forming the next government and “the selection of one or two candidates for the Speaker position," Iraq's state newspaper reported on Sunday, citing Salah al-Marawi, a member of the Azm Alliance.

“The initial agreement stipulates that Muthanna al-Samarrai will assume the position of Speaker of Parliament,” the source said, adding that the leader’s Azm Alliance will receive a non-sovereign ministry, “most likely culture.”

Ghanem al-Aifan, a top official in the Azm Alliance, also confirmed that the alliance's leader is the most likely candidate for Speaker of Parliament.

Meanwhile, Taqadum Party is set to “receive the position of Vice President of the Republic and three ministries: Higher education, planning, and industry,” the source added.

Mohammed al-Halbousi’s Taqadum Party and its coalitions scored the highest number of seats among the Sunni forces in the recent elections, securing 36 seats.

The other ministries reserved for the Sunni parties, including trade and defense will be allotted to the Sovereignty Alliance and the Hasm al-Watani Alliance respectively, while the National Masses Party will be granted the governorship of Salahaddin, according to the source.

Modeled after the Shiite Coordination Framework, the National Political Council is an umbrella group of Sunni parties, announced in late November by leaders of the main Sunni parties from the November elections.

Concurrent with the Sunnis' efforts to come to an understanding regarding the parliament speaker position, the Coordination Framework is also aiming to finalize the selection of a candidate for the country's prime minister, a post that traditionally goes to the Shiites.

Iraq concluded its sixth parliamentary elections on November 11, in which over 7,750 candidates competed for the Iraqi legislature’s 329 seats. No party won enough seats to earn a parliamentary majority, with inter-party negotiations to form the next Iraqi cabinet being essential as a result.