Mohammed al-Halbousi voted Iraq's new parliament speaker
11.10 p.m.
US Embassy congratulates Speaker Halbousi
A Department of State spokesman from the US Embassy in Baghdad has issued a statement of congratulations to newly election Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi:
“We congratulate Mohammed al-Halbousi on his selection as Speaker of the Council of Representatives. In addition, we congratulate the First Deputy Speaker Hassan Kareem al-Kaabi. We also look forward to the election of the Second Deputy Speaker.
“This is an important step on the constitutional timeline for forming a new government. The United States has worked closely with Mr. Halbousi in his previous position as Governor in Anbar province, where he served effectively in helping to oversee the province’s stabilization after the defeat of ISIS.
“We look forward to working closely with Speaker Halbousi in this most important new role, in which he serves all the Iraqi people.
“We support the Iraqi people’s call for reform, and clean and effective governance. We encourage Iraq’s elected leaders to expeditiously form a new government on the constitutional timeline.”
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9.57 p.m.
Iraq parliament postpones vote for second deputy speaker
The Iraqi parliament has postponed the election of the chamber’s second deputy speaker until Sunday because there were not enough MPs present to meet quorum.
Three Kurds – Bashir Haddad of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), Muthana Amin of the Kurdistan Islamic Union (KIU), and Ahmed Haji Rashid of Kurdistan Islamic Group (Komal) – are competing for the position.
In a secret ballot for the second deputy, Haddad secured 152 votes. However, he needs to receive 167 votes to secure the job. The vote will be held again on Sunday when the parliament is expected to meet quorum.
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6.08 p.m.
PUK urges new Speaker to ‘restore prestige’ of constitution
The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), which holds 18 seats in the Iraqi parliament, has congratulated Mohammed al-Halbousi for securing the position of Speaker of the house. The Kurdish party urged Halbousi to help resolve tensions between Erbil and Baghdad by meeting parliament’s constitutional commitments.
“Receiving the confidence of 169 to the post of speaker of the Council of the Representatives of Iraq is a national and constitutional confidence and the trust of the Iraqi and Kurdish sides in order to rescue Iraq from the current political constitutional impasses amid the conflicting situation in Iraq and the region,” read a congratulatory message from the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) to the newly elected speaker.
The PUK expects the new speaker “to restore the constitutional prestige of Iraq’s permanent constitution including all of its articles and sections,” the statement read.
The new parliament should “put an end to the past prolonged issues in the Iraqi parliament and lay fresh groundwork for a friendly environment among all the blocs and help return constitutional commitments inside the parliament hall,” the statement added.
The PUK also called on the speaker to “put the long standing Erbil-Baghdad issues such as the questions of Article 140, the budget, oil and gas, and the Peshmerga, as well as the restoration of civil authority to the disputed territories, practically on the agenda, as they have been the center of controversies.”
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6.00 p.m.
Iraq parliament elects Hassan Karim Kaabi of Sayirun as first deputy speaker with 210 votes
Sayirun candidate Hassan Karim Kaabi elected first deputy speaker. Photo: Rudaw TV
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4.52 p.m.
Failed candidate alleges new speaker ‘bought’ post for $30mn
Iraq’s former defense minister Khalid al-Obeidi alleged on Saturday that the post of parliamentary speaker was bought for $30 million.
“Let the corrupt be happy who now congratulate one another. And now I am telling the Iraqis that; God is behind you and he is the best for you,” Obeidi tweeted after the result was announced.
Obeidi, who also leads a minor parliamentary bloc, received just 89 votes in the secret ballot.
The post was won by former Anbar governor Mohammed al-Halbousi, who secured 169 votes.
Khalid al-Obeidi secured 89 votes. Photo: Rudaw TV
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2.39 p.m.
Al-Halbousi, a Sunni from Anbar, Iraq's new parliament speaker
Former governor of Anbar Mohammed Rikan al-Halbousi. Photo: Halbousi FB
Former Anbar Governor Mohammed al-Halbousi was voted Iraq's new speaker of parliament.
Halbousi tallied 169 votes to beat out Khalid al-Obaidi's 89.
Iraq kept with tradition in choosing a Sunni as the speaker.
2:46 p.m.
Voting in the Iraqi parliament has now ended, counting begins
Iraqi state-run television showed the secret vote for the speaker has finished and now counting will commence.
Several blocs, including the KDP and PUK, boycotted the session.
Pro tem speaker Muhammad Ali Zainy is presiding. Two hundred fifty-one ballots were cast.
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12:59 p.m.
KDP: We aren’t at odds with PUK over Kurdish rights
Dilshad Shahad, advisor to PM Nechirvan Barzani explained that the KDP having input on the next president of Iraq is in the interest of rights for Kurds.
"It is the decision of KDP to have its share ... but when it comes to implementation of Kurdish rights we are not in odds with PUK," said Shadad.
He added that it is early to discuss the position of Iraqi president between KDP and PUK until they both have reached an agreement with the biggest bloc. Shahab also said that both parties have not "formally" discussed the position so far.
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12:37 p.m.
MPs begin voting for a speaker
Members of the new Iraqi parliament have begun voting by secret ballot on a new speaker.
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12:34 p.m.
KDP nominates 2nd deputy, doubts parliament will elect speaker today
Sherwan Dubarani, a KDP MP in Baghdad, said they have nominated Bashir Haddad for the position of second deputy speaker and has gained the support of PUK, Shiite and Sunni MPs.
Haddad was formerly a member of the Kurdistan Region's parliament.
Dubarani added the MPs may not be able to elect the speaker and deputies in today's session.
12:25 p.m.
Hikma, KDP, PUK, Wataniya boycott session
The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), Ammar al-Hakim's Hikma, and Ayad al-Allawi's Wataniya MPs boycotted the parliament session on Saturday.
The KDP won 25 seats, Wataniya 21, Hikma 19, the PUK 18.
Wataniya's seat count is suspect after a number of Sunni Arab politicians formed the National Axis Alliance in mid-August.
They boycotted after the two main Shiite blocs had a disagreement over the selection of Nouri al-Maliki-backed Mohammed al-Halbousi and Haider al-Abadi-backed Khaled al-Obaidi for speaker.
Halbousi is the former governor of Anbar and Obaidi is a former defense minister.
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12:10 p.m.
Sunnis set sights on retaining post of speaker
Ahmed al-Jabouri from Saladin province and Mohammed al-Tamim from Kirkuk have withdrawn their names from the candidacy of the speaker of parliament.
Both are Sunni Arab politicians. Six Sunni Arabs remain in the running for the post of speaker.
Pro tem speaker has stopped taking nominations for the position.
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11:50 a.m.
Iraqi president shall have our full consent: KDP
Jaafar Iminiki, a KDP politburo member, said what is important for them is for the next Iraqi president to be someone who can be “the voice” of Kurds in Baghdad and have “100 percent consent of KDP.”
“No political party shall say ‘this is my post.’ It is for Kurds and someone shall be elected who can serve Kurdistan … [and] the person who goes to Baghdad shall have 100 percent KDP consent,” he said.
He added that those decisions which are related to the people of Kurdistan shall be “easily decided on.” KDP thinks this post is important … and we want someone who can be the voice of Kurds.”
Iraqi President Fuad Masum, a Kurd from the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, has faced criticism for inaction during his tenure, although the role has been primarily ceremonial.
Regarding the weight of Kurdish parties in the new parliament and government, Iminiki said that “this government cannot ignore the Kurdish weight.”
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11:30 p.m.
KIU wants to be parliament speaker's 2nd deputy
A KIU faction member of the Iraqi parliament said his party is entitled to take the post of a deputy speaker of parliament.
“From Kurdish factions, Bashir Adad with the KDP and Ahmad Rashid with Komal have nominated themselves. On a quota basis, I call for this position because the past four years witness can witness our work and I am sure I can meet the expectation of Kurdistan," Muthana Amin, the head KIU bloc, told reporters on Saturday.
KIU won two seats in the election. The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) won 25 and Komal won 2.
“We know the KIU doesn’t have enough seats to take the post of deputy speaker of parliament, but KIU has the right to take this position on a quota basis,” he added.
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10:10 a.m.
Iraqi parliament to reconvene to choose new speaker, two deputies
BAGHDAD, Iraq — Members of the new Iraqi parliament will convene at 11 a.m. on Saturday in Baghdad.
The session is a continuation of their two meetings on September 3, when two Shiite blocs claimed to have the largest alliances.
They lacked signatures of actual members. To form the biggest bloc, a majority of 165 is required to be submitted to the pro tem speaker.
After the largest bloc comes forth, a new speaker and two deputies will be selected.
Incumbent Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's Nasr is in an alliance with Muqtada al-Sadr's Sayirun.
Abadi, who was seen as the favorite, has faced a number of obstacles including Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani stating that current politicians shouldn't seek the post, protests in Basra and Baghdad, and a fracture within his own Nasr Alliance.
Former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s State of Law Coalition is allied with Hadi al-Amiri's Fatih.
The National Axis Alliance is comprised of a group of Sunni politicians, following their poor performance in the election. They put forth former Anbar governor Mohammed al-Halbousi for the post of speaker. The position has traditionally gone to a Sunni.
All Kurdistani parities haven't yet reached an agreement on forming a bloc, with the exception of the two largest — the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan.
The UK Ambassador to Iraq told Kurdish parties to have a primary, not secondary voice now in Baghdad, as their support could put either of the Shiite blocs over the 165-seat threshold.
This is a developing story...