According to former PM Al-Maliki
Sunni political division stalls election of new Iraqi parliament speaker
BAGHDAD – Nouri Al-Maliki, leader of the State of Law Coalition, stated that significant divisions within Sunni political parties are hindering the election of a new parliament speaker. He also noted the failure of previous agreements to reach a consensus on a candidate “acceptable to all political parties.”
Iraqi political factions have been deadlocked over the election of a new speaker for several months, further complicating the country’s already complex political landscape. The stalemate began after the Iraqi Federal Supreme Court dismissed former Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi in November 2023 following allegations of forgery.
Since then, parliament has struggled to elect a new speaker due to deep divisions among political factions, particularly within the Sunni bloc, which traditionally holds the speaker position under Iraq’s power-sharing system.
In a video statement, Al-Maliki, a former two-term prime minister, revealed that the Coordination Framework, Iraq’s largest parliamentary bloc, recently tasked him with “unifying the Sunni community” under a single candidate. Al-Maliki said he organized meetings with other major parties, including the Kurds, and brokered an agreement among various Sunni factions.
The deal involved selecting a candidate from one party in exchange for the rival party relinquishing a ministry. However, al-Maliki noted that the parties failed to attend a second meeting to finalize the agreement, leaving him “unaware of the reasons for their absence.”
Despite being replaced as prime minister a decade ago, Al-Maliki remains an influential figure in Iraqi politics. His State of Law Coalition, the largest Shia parliamentary bloc with 38 seats, is a key member of the Coordination Framework, a pro-Iran political alliance.
Former PM Al-Maliki meets with Cardinal Louis Sako in Baghdad
Al-Maliki meets with U.S. Ambassador to discuss future ties
