Iraqi president signs decree for parliament to convene in January

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Members of the Iraqi parliament will hold their first session in early January, according to a decree signed by Iraq's president on Thursday, adding that his “hopes are set” that a new, effective government will be formed.

Iraq's new parliament will convene on January 9, according to a decree issued on Thursday by President Barham Salih, which prepares the way for lawmakers to put a new government in place.

“I signed the republican decree to call the new House of Representatives to convene on Sunday, January 9,” President Barham Salih said in a tweet on Thursday.

“Hopes are set to meet the national demand by forming a capable and effective government that protects the interests of the country and enhances sovereignty, protecting and serving the Iraqis, and this requires solidarity in order to achieve the reform required for a stable and prosperous Iraq,” added Salih.

Iraq held early parliamentary elections on October 10 in response to the October 2019 protests against corruption and ineptitude among the ruling class and political system. The vote saw a record-low turnout, with just 41% of registered voters casting a ballot, according to the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC). Experts believe the turnout was even lower.

IHEC on Tuesday sent an official letter to the Iraqi president, asking him to set a parliamentary meeting within 15 days.

According to Article 54 of the Iraqi constitution, when the election results are confirmed, it sets in motion a process for the winning parties to form a government. Within 15 days of the ratification of the results, the president calls on the parliament to meet, chaired by its eldest member, and elect a speaker and two deputies by an absolute majority. The parliament also elects a president from among candidates by a two-thirds majority.

The president then tasks the largest bloc in the parliament with forming the government, naming a prime minister within 15 days of the election of the president. The prime minister-elect then has 30 days to name a cabinet.

The Iraqi Federal Supreme Court ratified the final results of the October 10 elections this week, with several Iraqi parties welcoming the court’s decision and opposition groups continuing to reject the results.

Out of the legislature's total 329 seats, the Sadrist bloc gained 73, becoming the top winner of the elections. The second largest seats were secured by Taqadum, a Sunni alliance headed by the outgoing speaker of Iraqi parliament Mohammed al-Halbousi, which gained 37 seats. Former prime minister Nouri al-Maliki’s pro-Iran State of Law Coalition won 33 seats.

The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) gained 31 seats and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) 17 seats. Fatih Alliance, the largest list representing the Iranian-backed Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF, or Hashd al-Shaabi), also won 17 seats. 

Forty-three seats were secured by independent candidates.

A member of the PUK told Rudaw on Wednesday that the KDP and PUK were sending a joint team to Baghdad to negotiate the formation of Iraq's new government, aiming to defend the rights of Kurds.