Mohammed Al-Halbusi, the leader of the Taqaddum party, stated today, Friday, that he is not seeking to return to the Iraqi parliament after being removed from his position as Speaker of the Council of Representatives by a judicial decision. Al-Halbusi commented on the decisions of the Court of Cassation: "I will not seek in any way to return to parliamentary work in this session." He added: "Everyone who defends the repeated violations of the legislative authority must be assured beyond any doubt that many of the wrong paths that weaken the state and its institutions, and the failure to adhere to the principle of the separation of powers, will be put to an end by the efforts of the good people who care for the country."
In an unprecedented move in Iraq, the Federal Court of Cassation issued a legal ruling stating that one of the decisions of the Federal Supreme Court — the highest judicial authority in the country — is "not definitive," which opened the door for Al-Halbusi to appeal the decision that removed him from the speakership by the Federal Court, based on a lawsuit alleging "fraud" filed by one of the MPs. The statement published on the official website of the court indicated that "it was decided to terminate the membership of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mohammed Rikan Al-Halbusi, effective from the date of the ruling on November 14, 2023." A similar decision was made regarding MP Laith Mustafa Hamoud Al-Dulaimi, who filed the lawsuit, according to the statement.
