Ousted Speaker Mohammed Al-Halbousi urges Iraqi citizens to vote

ANBAR, December 18 — Head of the Taqadum Party and ousted Parliament Speaker Mohammed Al-Halbousi called on the Iraqi citizens to head to polling stations and cast their votes on Monday in the nationwide election for provincial council seats.

Al-Halbousi spoke from Anbar, where he cast his own ballot and where he said voter turnout is expected to be high.

Dressed in traditional regional attire and accompanied by a contingent of guards, Al-Halbousi’s appearance at the polling station in Al-Karma marked a return to the public sphere after a 35-day hiatus following his ouster from the legislature.

The Federal Supreme Court issued a decision on November 14 that led to Al-Halbousi’s removal from Parliament and his role as Speaker.