Shia Coordination Framework urges parliament to fill long-vacant speaker position

BAGHDAD — The Shia Coordination Framework, a coalition of major Shia parties involved in the Iraqi government, has called on members of Iraq’s Parliament to convene this Saturday to address the long-vacant position of Speaker of Parliament.

In a statement released following its regular meeting in Baghdad on Monday, attended by Prime Minister Mohammad Shia Al-Sudani, the Coordination Framework stressed the importance of resolving the vacancy. “The Coordination Framework calls on the honourable members of Parliament to hold a session this coming Saturday to settle the issue of the Speaker of the Parliament and bring an end to the prolonged vacancy of this crucial position,” the statement read.

Despite the urgency, no official date has been set for Parliament to meet. The Speaker’s seat has remained vacant since last November, when the judiciary annulled former Speaker Mohamed Al-Halbousi’s membership following a legal challenge. Sunni political factions have since struggled to agree on a successor. Under Iraq’s political framework established after 2003, the Speaker’s position is reserved for a Sunni, the Prime Minister is a Shia, and the President is a Kurd.

In recent months, Mahmoud Al-Mashhadani has emerged as a frontrunner for the position, claiming majority support from lawmakers in late August. However, efforts to elect a new Speaker have remained inconclusive. In May, Parliament held multiple rounds of voting, with Al-Mashhadani and Salem al-Issawi as the leading candidates. Al-Issawi secured 158 votes to Al-Mashhadani’s 137 in the second round, but tensions escalated in the third round, forcing Parliament to adjourn without a final decision.

Full Statement by the Coordinating Framework:

The Coordination Framework held its regular meeting at the office of His Eminence Sayyid Al-Hakim, with Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and the leaders of the Coordination Framework in attendance. The participants discussed key agenda items and exchanged views on recent political developments in Iraq and the region, particularly expressing solidarity with the Palestinian and Lebanese people amid the unjust war and acts of genocide being perpetrated by the Zionist entity.

The Coordination Framework emphasized Iraq’s ongoing political support through government consultations with various international parties to halt the aggression against the Palestinian and Lebanese people, alongside continued humanitarian and relief efforts.

The Coordination Framework also praised the government’s role in preparing for the upcoming national census, expressing hope that it will be conducted on time and across all provinces. They highlighted its importance as a crucial step in developing future plans for services and infrastructure.

Additionally, the Framework commended the government’s efforts to bolster security, uphold state authority, and apprehend wanted individuals to bring them to justice.

The Coordination Framework further called on members of Parliament to convene this Saturday to resolve the vacant Speaker position and end the prolonged vacancy of this critical role.