Halbousi re-elected speaker of parliament during chaotic first session

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Mohammed al-Halbousi has been re-elected for a second term as speaker of Iraq’s parliament following a chaotic beginning of the body’s first session that led to the active speaker being taken to hospital.

State media reports that 200 votes by parliamentarians were cast for the head of the Taqadum Coalition, while 14 were in favour of the active speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani, who was evacuated from the session after falling ill. Fourteen votes were deemed invalid.  

Mashhadani, 73, as the oldest member of parliament, was constitutionally required to chair the first session where a speaker would be elected. The session set off at around 3:00 pm with the 325 MPs present taking the parliamentary oath.

The legislative session soon erupted into disorder over who would hold the largest parliamentary bloc. MPs from the scene told Rudaw that arguments flared up after the Coordination Framework, an alliance of Shiite factions that continue to object to the election results, submitted a paper claiming they, rather than the Sadrist Movement, now hold the biggest parliamentary bloc with 88 seats.

The Iraqi constitution states that the largest bloc in the parliament has the right to choose the new prime minister.

The Sadrist Movement was the kingmaker of the October 10 election, securing 73 seats. It has begun efforts to establish a cabinet containing the election’s largest winners.

Mashhadani is rumoured to have been taken out of the session after being assaulted, but MPs speaking to Rudaw claim it was not a result of physical violence. Footage circulating on social media showed loud lawmakers crowding around Mashhadani, who was carried out of the room by security forces minutes after.

The session later resumed with Khalid al-Daraji, the third eldest MP, leading the session, according to state media.

Halbousi was nominated for a second term in the position on Saturday.

Iraqi President Barham Salih congratulated Halbousi following his victory. 

Ousted co-chair of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) Lahur Talabany also hailed the win. 

"I wish him great success in his second term and may he continue to work for the good of the people and the country," he tweeted. 

Iraq held an early election on October 10. The vote was called in response to mass protests in the country beginning in October 2019, caused by widespread dissatisfaction with Iraq’s politicians and endemic corruption in the country.

According to a long-standing agreement, the three main leadership positions in the Iraqi government are divided among Kurds, Shiites, and Sunnis. Whereas Kurds get the presidency, Shiites get the premiership, and Sunnis get the parliamentary speaker.

The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) chose its Kirkuk MP Shakhawan Abdullah, as the party’s nominee for the deputy parliament speaker, a position the party has held for years.

According to Article 54 of the Iraqi constitution, when the election results are confirmed, it sets in motion a process for the winning parties to form a government. Within 15 days of the ratification of the results, the president calls on the parliament to meet, chaired by its eldest member, and elect a speaker and two deputies by an absolute majority during its first session according to Article 55. The parliament also elects a president from among candidates by a two-thirds majority.

The president then tasks the largest bloc in the parliament with forming the government, naming a prime minister within 15 days of the election of the president. The prime minister-elect then has 30 days to name a cabinet.

Updated at 9:41 pm