The presidency of the House of Representatives was decided today.
The presidency of the House of Representatives was decided today.
2025-12-23
The National Political Council, which represents the main Sunni forces, confirmed that Tuesday’s meeting will be crucial in selecting a single candidate for the presidency of the House of Representatives, given the pressure of constitutional deadlines to finalize the issue of the next parliament’s presidency.
The political corridors are witnessing a rapid race to decide on the top positions within parliament, with dialogues continuing between the forces and blocs to reach a consensus formula or resort to a vote.
This is in parallel with the shift in discussions from proposing names to focusing on economic programs and visions, with the aim of forming a government capable of facing challenges and achieving national stability.
A member of the “Al-Azm” coalition, Aras Al-Mashhadani, told the official newspaper that “the head of the coalition, Muthanna Al-Samarrai, is committed, along with his allies inside and outside the Sunni political establishment, to running for the presidency of the next parliament,” noting that “the name will be announced before the coordinating framework for holding the parliamentary session, in order to avoid any possible veto from the partners.”
Al-Mashhadani added that “about two-thirds of the Coordination Framework and the Kurdistan Democratic Party support Al-Samarrai to assume this position, given the commitments he made during the past period.”
He explained that “today’s meeting, scheduled to be held at the home of National Political Council member Ahmed al-Jubouri, will be crucial in determining the candidate for Speaker of Parliament, anticipating political disagreements if no candidate is chosen,” noting that “after the candidate’s name is chosen, there will be communication with the coordination framework to submit the laws needed by the component to avoid what he described as ‘political blackmail’.”
He explained that “the Sunni component, after the three presidencies were decided, has become accustomed to continuing to demand its rights through the enactment of controversial laws, which are often delayed until the next elections are held,” stressing that “agreement on these laws will be a ‘token of honor’ for the Sunni component, while anyone who tries to disrupt the Sunni consensus by mixing things up will be outside the equation.”
As for Ammar Al-Azzawi, a member of the “Sovereignty” coalition, he indicated that “today’s meeting of the Political Council will be crucial in presenting a candidate for the presidency of the House of Representatives in the first session.”
He added, “Given that the first session of the House of Representatives is scheduled for the 29th of this month, during which a candidate must be presented for the Speaker of the House and his two deputies, the House will present one or two candidates at the session and leave the national space free to choose the most suitable of them to be the Speaker of the next House of Representatives.”
Meanwhile, Muhannad Mahmoud Dhaidan, a member of the Azm Alliance, told the official newspaper that “the last meeting of the (National Political Council), which was held within the framework of the ongoing consultations to decide on the entitlement to the presidency of the House of Representatives, constituted a pivotal point in the path of political consensus,” indicating that “the meeting did not witness the finalization of the name, in preference to allow more time for in-depth discussions, and postponing the decision to the decisive meeting scheduled (today, Tuesday) at the home of (Abu Mazen), in accordance with the constitutional controls and the rules of the political process.”
Dhaidan stressed that “postponing the decision does not reflect the existence of fundamental disagreements within the council, but rather comes in the context of keenness to formulate a unified and consensual position before heading to the parliament, especially in light of the sensitivity of the stage and the need to avoid the logic of unilateralism or imposing a fait accompli.”
He pointed out that “the option of having more than one candidate for the presidency of the House of Representatives has become a realistic option and an inevitable matter imposed by the balances of the political scene,” explaining that “the National Political Council is proceeding with the option of national consensus, in accordance with the agreements and plans drawn up, while insisting on presenting two candidates who represent the national will.”
He stated that “Muthanna al-Samarrai is the first candidate, pending the submission of the second name by the political partners, in preparation for going to the vote inside the parliament, and in a way that avoids any tension or disruption to the political process,” stressing that “the Azm Alliance is working to consolidate the approach of partnership and consensus, and to protect constitutional and national entitlements.”
He called on “political forces to treat this stage as an opportunity to strengthen confidence in the legislative institution and political stability, not as an arena for escalation or conflict.”
burathanews.com
