Sunnis divided over parliament speaker candidates ahead of first session

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Sunni blocs in Iraq may enter parliament with two competing candidates for speaker as the legislature prepares to convene the first session of its sixth term on Monday, Sunni politicians said on Sunday.

Sunni parties met on Sunday to decide whether to rally behind a single nominee or proceed with rival bids split between the Taqaddum Party, which backs its leader and former speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi, and the Azm Alliance, which insists on its leader, Muthanna al-Samarrai.

At the time of writing this article, no statement has been released regarding the meeting.

Monday’s session - to be chaired temporarily by the oldest lawmaker - will include the swearing-in of the 329 newly elected members and a vote for speaker, a post reserved for Sunni Arabs under Iraq’s informal power-sharing system established after the 2003 US-led invasion.

Mohammed Daham, an Azm Alliance leader and designated spokesperson for Sunni parties, told Rudaw on Sunday before the meeting that it “will be decisive in every sense.”

Mudhafar al-Karkhi, a member of Azm, told Rudaw after the meeting had began that Halbousi has withdrawn from the race for the parliament speakership.

However, Ali Mahmoud, a Taqaddum Party member, told earlier Rudaw that the council has 72 lawmakers, and the Taqaddum Party, with 35 lawmakers, “is the largest force among the Sunnis.” He dismissed speculation about alternative nominees, saying, “Our only candidate is Mohammed al-Halbousi, and no other names are being considered.”

Daham, however, said agreement on a single candidate is unlikely. “The process for the Speaker's post is heading toward having two candidates in any case, and it is impossible to reach a consensus on a single candidate,” he said, adding that “the Azm Alliance is firm on its candidate, Muthanna al-Samarrai, and there is no change in that decision.”

Iraq’s parliamentary elections were held on November 11, with final results announced in mid-November and ratified by the Federal Supreme Court in mid-December.

Under the power-sharing arrangement, the premiership goes to Shiites and the presidency to Kurds, though some Sunni lawmakers have expressed interest in seeking the presidency in the next cabinet.

the council “must meet a few hours before the start of the first parliamentary session.”

In November, leaders of four major Sunni alliances announced the formation of the National Political Council to coordinate positions during negotiations over the next government.

Mohammed Daham, a member of the Azm Alliance leadership and a designated spokesperson for Sunni parties, told Rudaw on Sunday that "the National Political Council is expected to meet today to discuss several issues. The council must meet a few hours before the start of the first parliamentary session."

In November, leaders of the Sunnis' four main alliances and political forces announced the formation of a National Political Council, aimed at unifying Sunni positions during negotiations over the next government.


Malik Abassi and Warshin Salih contributed to this report from Erbil.