Deputy speaker, PMF chief discuss next steps as post-election talks intensify

BAGHDAD — Deputy Speaker of Parliament Mohsen al-Mandalawi met Saturday with Popular Mobilization Forces chief Faleh al-Fayyadh to discuss the political phase following Iraq’s Nov. 11 parliamentary elections, in what his office described as part of a broader round of post-vote engagements.

Al-Fayyadh heads the National Contract list, which ran in alignment with Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani’s Reconstruction and Development Coalition. Al-Mandalawi, leader of the Al-Asas Party, secured eight seats in the 329-member legislature in the latest vote.

The two officials exchanged congratulations on what they described as the “success” of the elections and said the emerging results place a “shared responsibility” on political groups to move quickly toward convening the sixth parliamentary term and forming a new government.

Al-Mandalawi said completing constitutional procedures without delay is essential to “reassuring the public, protecting stability, and reflecting the voters’ will.” He also underscored the importance of “establishing an environment of mutual understandings among political forces and adopting responsible dialogue” to address the next stage’s challenges.

The meeting followed Al-Fayyadh’s Friday visit with Asaib Ahl al-Haq secretary-general Qais al-Khazali — the first direct contact between a senior figure aligned with Sudani and a leading member of the Coordination Framework since tensions surfaced during the campaign period.

Preliminary projections indicate Sudani’s Reconstruction and Development Coalition is on track to win 46 seats, the highest of any bloc.