Iraqi lawmaker Al-Issawi alleges he was offered ministry for dropping out of speaker race

BAGHDAD — Iraqi lawmaker Salem Al-Issawi, who recently lost the bid for the position of parliament speaker to Mahmoud Al-Mashhadani, raised concerns over what he described as political maneuvering and questionable tactics within Iraq’s political landscape. In an interview with Al-Sumaria TV, Al-Issawi accused former speaker Mohammed Al-Halbousi of attempting to influence his decision to withdraw from the race by offering him the Ministry of Culture in exchange, a proposal he rejected, deeming it a compromise on institutional integrity. He condemned these actions as “thuggish” and criticized the influence of personal interests on key decision-making processes.

Iraq’s parliament elected Mahmoud Al-Mashhadani as its new speaker last Thursday, ending a nearly year-long vacancy and resolving months of political stalemate that followed the removal of former Speaker Mohammed Al-Halbousi by Iraq’s judiciary last November.

Backed by a coalition of Sunni parties, the Shia Coordination Framework, and Kurdish factions, Al-Mashhadani secured the position after two rounds of voting. In the final round, he received 182 votes out of the 269 members present. The initial round of voting saw four candidates — Salem Al-Issawi, Mahmoud Al-Mashhadani, Talal Zobaie, and Amer Abdul Jabbar — with Al-Mashhadani leading at 153 votes, followed by Al-Issawi with 95, and Abdul Jabbar with 9, while 14 ballots were deemed invalid, preventing a majority victory.

Despite the outcome, MP Al-Issawi congratulated Al-Mashhadani on his election as Speaker of Parliament in a public statement. Al-Issawi expressed gratitude to his supporters and underscored the significance of his own candidacy, describing it as a cornerstone for establishing a genuine national project for Iraq.

Excerpts from Salem Al-Issawi’s interview with Al-Sumaria TV:

The same individuals who disrupted the first session continued their thuggish and destructive behavior in the second session. This conduct has infiltrated the current legislative term, unlike any approach we have seen in previous terms.

After a full year of session disruption, interests, opinions, and desires have changed. This approach has been exploited by other blocs. It’s a tribal system, and it’s shameful to suggest, “Go agree on a candidate.” We assumed they wanted us to reach a consensus in good faith, but it turned out that if we didn’t, they would elect anyone.

Many Sunni forces wanted to resolve the issue without exposing internal disagreements publicly, but we failed. Leaders and forces prioritize their personal interests over those of the country and the [Sunni] community, leading to the breakdown of internal relations. In all previous terms, the speaker was chosen based on [Sunni] community representation, not by party affiliation. How is it that this term identifies the Sunni bloc by a specific party? The position represents the community, and I refuse for it to be labeled by a party name.

Some individuals approached me to sit with Al-Halbousi, and I have no problem meeting any Iraqi. However, the messages from Al-Halbousi offer personal benefits at the country’s expense. I was offered a ministry position in front of all political forces, but it never crossed my mind that ministries could be traded as commodities. “I wasn’t raised like this.” How can we build a strong institution in this manner?

Al-Halbousi openly said to the political forces, “I’ll offer you the Ministry of Culture if you withdraw from the candidacy.” But I am here neither for a ministry nor for a position of authority. I am a lawmaker representing all Iraqis. So, I told him to withdraw his offer or “you’ll hear another response from me.”

The Prime Minister heads an executive bloc. I haven’t engaged in any political discussions with him, nor have we talked about any political project. He believes in the separation of powers, and I support the executive government. The Prime Minister didn’t back me; rather, his involvement was intended to resolve the crisis. However, political forces manipulated and exaggerated his role to delay the session.

Regarding Thursday’s session, certain blocs forced MPs to film their votes and show them to the bloc leader. There was backing and pressure from political forces in the [Coordination] Framework for Mahmoud [Al-Mashhadani], ultimately imposing Mahmoud on the Sunni forces and the parliament.

I have no regrets about this experience. I call on everyone to step forward and declare that we are here to build an institutional state and safeguard the legislative authority as the reference for all other authorities.