ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Iraq’s Federal Supreme Court on Monday rejected a lawsuit challenging the continuation of the Kurdistan Region parliament’s sixth term, while postponing a ruling on a separate case seeking to limit the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) powers.

A lawsuit was filed by Ali Hama Saleh, leader of the Halwest (Stance) Movement, against Akram Gharib of the opposition New Generation Movement, the parliament’s eldest member. It sought a ruling declaring the continuation of the parliament’s sixth term “unconstitutional.”

The court ruled that the case was “resolved by rejection for lack of jurisdiction.”

The other lawsuit sought a ruling to limit the KRG from exercising full powers and restricting it to that of a caretaker government. The court postponed its ruling on the case.

The Kurdistan Region held parliamentary elections on October 20, 2024, and the elected lawmakers were sworn in during a session in December of that year. However, subsequent attempts to convene parliament have failed because the required legal quorum was not met.

On Tuesday, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) lamented parliament’s continued inactivity, saying in a statement that the legislature had been unable to fulfill its legal responsibilities in governing the Kurdistan Region. The bloc reiterated that the party had consistently expressed its willingness to convene sessions and supported all efforts toward that end.

The KDP and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) emerged as the two largest parties in the elections, winning 39 and 23 seats, respectively. However, negotiations to form the next cabinet have repeatedly stalled, with the two parties blaming each other for the impasse.

The KDP and PUK have held several meetings since the elections to reach an agreement on forming the next cabinet. A major sticking point remains the distribution of senior government positions and sovereign ministries, particularly the Ministry of Interior, which the PUK is seeking.

The KDP and its leadership have repeatedly called for parliament to resume its work. In May, marking the 34th anniversary of the Kurdistan Region’s first parliamentary elections, the party said it welcomed efforts by the Region’s political forces to reactivate the legislature.