Iraqi parliament member Hassan al-Jabouri confirmed that the selection of the new President of the Iraqi Parliament is an internal matter, with no right for foreign countries to intervene. Al-Jabouri stated, "The choice of the new Parliament President is the responsibility of the Sunni political blocs, which are entitled to resolve this issue as it is their constitutional right, and they are still in the dialogue phase." He emphasized that "this matter is Iraqi, and we certainly do not allow any external party to interfere in its resolution," considering that "the Sunni political forces are capable of settling this matter in the coming days, especially with the positive atmosphere during the dialogues, and we do not need any external guidance."
The Parliament announced the election of a replacement for Muhammad al-Halbousi during the extraordinary session scheduled for tomorrow, Wednesday. Previously, the Al-Bayaraq Al-Khair bloc confirmed that there are six names proposed as substitutes for Muhammad al-Halbousi for the position of Parliament President, indicating that two names are the most likely for the role and that the list of candidates will be finalized within 48 hours.
Mohammed al-Khalidi, the Secretary-General of Al-Bayaraq Al-Khair, mentioned that "meetings among the Sunni forces have been ongoing for 72 hours to determine their direction, especially following the Federal Court’s decision to terminate the membership of the former Parliament President Muhammad al-Halbousi," noting that "the decision is decisive and based on legal opinion." He added, "As of now, there are six names proposed by the Sunni forces as candidates for the position of Parliament President," but noted, "the most likely candidates at this time are Mahmoud al-Mashhadani and Salem al-Essawi based on initial assessments."
He informed "Baghdad Today" that "there will be three important meetings held in the next 48 hours to narrow down the list of candidates to two and present them in the first session of Parliament according to the legal procedures that outline the selection mechanisms once the position becomes vacant." He pointed out that "the Sunni forces are in agreement to expedite their choices and strive to propose a consensus candidate to Parliament, which can happen based on the results of the meetings."
The Federal Supreme Court had terminated Muhammad al-Halbousi's membership in the Iraqi Parliament due to allegations of falsifying the resignation of former MP Laith al-Dulaimi, which the court considered to violate the fundamental conditions that a member of Parliament must meet and the sanctity of popular representation in Parliament.
