Sunni Political Council to meet Sunday to decide parliamentary speaker

The Sunni candidates still in the running for the position are Taqadum Party leader Mohammed al-Halbousi and Azm Alliance leader Muthanna al-Samarrai, according to Sovereignty Alliance member Muhannad al-Khazraji.

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Sunni political council debates parliament speaker, power sharing

Sunni political leaders in Iraq are still discussing how to divide key positions in the next government, especially the post of Speaker of Parliament. While several candidates have been nominated, no final decision has been made, and there is no veto on any name so far.

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Sunni parties lose ground as divisions weaken vote in 2025 elections

Iraq’s Sunni political blocs are projected to see a decline in their overall seats after the 2025 parliamentary elections, dropping from 80 to 73, despite the boycott of the Sadrist movement. The Taqadum Party led by Mohammed al-Halbousi remained the largest Sunni force with 33 projected seats, followed by Muthanna al-Samarrai’s Azm Alliance with 17 seats, while Khamis al-Khanjar’s Sovereignty Alliance suffered major losses.

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Iraqi Sunni leader wants Halbousi banned from elections

Muthanna al-Samarrai, head of the Sunni Azm Alliance, urged Iraq’s election commission to stop former Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi from running in the upcoming elections.

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Zebari shuts down Halbousi’s roadmap to resolve Erbil-Baghdad issues

Halbousi suggested that extraction, use, marketing, and export of oil, gas, and other natural resources “be exclusively under the authority and jurisdiction of the federal government.”

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Iraq’s judiciary acquits former parliament speaker Halbousi of forgery

The former speaker of the Iraqi Parliament Mohammed al-Halbousi was acquitted of forgery charges that saw him dismissed from government in late 2023, according to an announcement by his office on Sunday night.

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Power play: Mandalawi to hold speaker's gavel until term's end

Despite the Coordination Framework's reassurances that they have no plans to keep Al-Mandalawi as speaker of parliament, Sunni politicians believe that elements within the Framework are maneuvering to secure his seat.

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