Iraqi Parliament Deadlocked in Election for New Speaker
The Iraqi parliament failed Sunday in its attempt to elect a new speaker, following the dismissal of Mohammed al-Halbousi. Despite the participation of 314 lawmakers out of 329, the session, chaired by First Deputy Speaker Mohsen al-Mandalawi, failed to reach a consensus due to ongoing political disputes.
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The session, which started on Saturday and extended into early Sunday, saw nominations for the speaker post from five lawmakers. Shaalan al-Karim emerged as the frontrunner with 152 votes, followed by Salim al-Eisawi with 97, and the former speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani with 48. However, none achieved the required absolute majority of 166 votes, as mandated by Iraqi law.
Efforts to conduct a second round of voting were thwarted by a late-night dispute among the lawmakers. This led al-Mandalawi to adjourn the session without setting a new date for the election. The position became vacant after the Iraqi federal court ordered the termination of al-Halbousi’s tenure on November 14, 2023, citing legal violations.
