Iraqi parliament seeks to renew confidence in Al-Halbousi and end political deadlock
The Alliance for Sovereignty renewed its rejection of the resignation of Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mohamed Al-Halbousi late Tuesday night (Wednesday), following an emergency meeting held in the Parliament, in which he called on political blocs to end the political impasse in the country.
The Iraqi parliament is holding a regular session on Wednesday to vote on the request of Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mohamed Al-Halbousi regarding his resignation from the presidency.
According to Iraqi political sources, the parliamentary session will be dedicated to renewing confidence in Al-Halbousi and electing the first deputy speaker of the parliament, which is vacant after the resignation of Hakim Al-Zamili from the position with the Sadrist deputies.
Iraqi authorities took strict security measures at the entrances to the Green Zone, the perimeter of parliament, and the roads and bridges leading to the parliament.
Meanwhile, the Federal Supreme Court in Iraq is expected to issue its final decision today, Wednesday, regarding the lawsuit filed by an Iraqi lawyer on the constitutionality of the mass resignation of Al-Sadr movement MPs from the parliament.
“There are several lawsuits that were filed regarding the resignation of Sadrist bloc MPs. Some of them were dismissed because the method of their establishment is incorrect, while other lawsuits are still filed by parties that have no legal connection to this issue and will be considered,” Judge Jassem Mohammed Abboud, head of the Supreme Federal Court, was quoted by the official Iraqi News Agency as saying.
“Every case has its own circumstances, but the interest of the Iraqi people is above all else,” he said.
Today, dozens of Iraqis demonstrated in Liberation Square in central Baghdad to condemn the convening of the Iraqi parliament.
The streets of Baghdad are currently witnessing traffic jams after security forces closed bridges and restricted the movement of vehicles in the streets. This is part of a security plan preceding the Iraqi parliament’s session scheduled for mid-day today.
Salem al-Issawi, a member of the Iraqi parliament representing the “Sovereignty” Alliance said that “all the members of the alliance refused to submit al-Halbousi’s resignation and called on all blocs not to vote in Wednesday’s session.
Al-Issawi said the coalition “held an emergency meeting for the majority of its members, and renewed its call for all political blocs to engage in a serious national dialog to end the current political deadlock and get the country out of the current crisis”.
Al-Issawi said the coalition “refused to vote on al-Halbousi’s resignation”.
“We call on all political blocs and independent MPs to reject the resignation presented by him (al-Halbousi) during the parliamentary session held on Wednesday,” al-Issawi said.
The Coalition for Sovereignty is the largest Iraqi Sunni political alliance with Azzam and Taqaddum.
On Tuesday evening, the Sovereignty Alliance issued a statement, confirming the renewal of Mohamed al-Halbousi’s stay as Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament.
The coalition also urged political blocs “not to accept the resignation and call for a new horizon of political action.”
On Monday, al-Halbousi submitted his resignation, and parliament set a Wednesday date for a vote.
The Iraqi parliament will hold its first session Wednesday (August 29th) since the bloody events that rocked the country, and the sit-ins that were carried out by the followers of the Sadrist movement, Muqtada al-Sadr, in the Iraqi parliament.
According to article 12 of the Council Law of 2017, the resignation of one of the members of the Council’s Presidency, namely the Speaker, the First Deputy or the Second Deputy, is accepted after the approval of the Council by a majority of its members present (half plus one), provided that the Council is elected by an absolute majority to replace it at its first session.
It is believed that Al-Halbousi chose a very precise time to announce his resignation, which was conditional upon the approval of the majority of the members present. This coincides with news about understandings to announce a new political alliance that includes the most important political forces active in the Iraqi scene.
According to local media, political forces have signed a political agreement and intend to soon announce a broad coalition called the State Administration Coalition to address the formation of a new government.
This coalition includes the Coordination Framework Forces, the al-Azm and Sovereignty Alliances, the Kurdistan Democratic Party, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, the Babylon Movement, and independent deputies.
In order to proceed with his duties as the speaker of the Council of Representatives, Al-Halbousi needs to restore his relations with the Coordinating Framework Forces, which have become the candidate force for the formation of the new government, the highest executive authority in Iraq. In addition, Al-Halbousi’s deputies will form the largest parliamentary bloc in the council.
Al-Halbousi was subjected to pressure and threats during the negotiations of the Sadrist bloc to form a government. Demands for his dismissal escalated over accusations of subordination to Arab and regional countries.
In accordance with the political tradition prevailing in Iraq after the first parliamentary elections in 2005, the Shias are the prime minister, the Kurds are the president of the republic, and the Sunnis are the speaker of parliament.
