The Federal Supreme Court docket of Iraq has rejected a parliamentary faction’s request to cancel the number of the parliament speaker.
The parliament had elected Muhammad al-Halbousi for a second time period on Jan. 9. Tensions were running excessive through the session when former speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani, who’s affiliated with the Azm Alliance, argued with the Sadrist motion’s deputies, prompting him to adjourn the session.
Khaled al-Dajari took over, and the session ended in the elections of al-Halbousi as speaker of parliament, Hakim al-Zamili (Sader Motion) as first deputy, and Abdallah Shukhan (Kurdistan Democratic Social gathering) as second vice chairman.
This prompted the Coordination Framework blocs (the State of Regulation Coalition led by former Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, the Fatah coalition led by Hadi al-Amiri, in addition to another Shiite blocs) to object to the session as “unconstitutional.” A lawsuit was filed by MPs Bassem Khashan and Mahmoud Daoud Yassin. On Jan. 13, the Federal Supreme Court docket briefly suspended the work of the Presidency of Parliament.
“All the things that befell within the first session of parliament shouldn’t be constitutional and had many authorized violations,” Khashan mentioned on the primary session on Sunday, Jan. 16.
“Mashhadani was pushed by individuals carrying shrouds,” he added in a jab to the Sadrist motion’s MPs, who got here to the parliament carrying shrouds, sending the message that they’ve come to battle till demise for his or her political agendas and alliance.
The Coordination Framework blocs mentioned they handed over a listing with the names of 88 MPs, making them the biggest parliamentary bloc that’s constitutionally mandated to appoint the prime minister. Nonetheless, the presidency of the parliament came upon that the Coordination Framework had faked some the signatures.
Furthermore, the interim president’s position is proscribed to formal procedures and organizing the election of the speaker. In response to Article 55 of the Iraqi structure, “Throughout its first session, Parliament elects a speaker, first and second deputy to the speaker, by an absolute majority of MPs, by direct secret poll.”
In different phrases, the departure of Mashhadani from the primary session for well being or political motive, or his adjourning the entire session, wouldn’t justify the adjournment or cancellation of the session with out electing the president.
Halbousi obtained the votes of greater than 200 of the 240 MPs who have been current in parliament, which got here because of coordination between the profitable blocs within the legislative elections, together with the Sadrist Motion (73 seats), the Taqaddum coalition (40 seats), the Kurdistan Democratic Social gathering with greater than 30 seats and a few unbiased MPs.
Accordingly, the federal court docket lastly rejected the lawsuit as we speak, which means that the method of forming the brand new authorities will proceed with out interruption.
It appears that evidently the Coordination Framework knew clearly that their objections wouldn’t be accepted, however they tried to delay the formation of the federal government with a view to push the negotiation with Sadrists.
Muqtada al-Sadr, whose bloc gained first place within the elections, is insisting on a “national majority” authorities, refusing to forge alliances with sure events such because the State of Regulation and different blocs affiliated with the Coordination Framework which have armed factions.
The Coordination Framework try to be included within the new authorities appears to be unsuccessful because the court docket determination opens area for Sadr to type the brand new authorities based mostly on nationwide majority together with his alliance with Sunnis and Kurds, eliminating his Shiite rivals within the Coordination Framework.
