National Sunni Political Council Agrees on Mechanisms to Facilitate Selection of Parliament Speaker

Peregraf — The National Sunni Political Council announced on Tuesday that it has reached an agreement on mechanisms aimed at facilitating the selection of the Speaker of the Iraqi Council of Representatives, as political consultations intensify ahead of the parliament’s first session.

In a statement, the council said it held a meeting on Tuesday evening in Baghdad at the headquarters of the head of the National Masses Party, Ahmed al-Jubouri (Abu Mazen), with the participation of leaders from the parties and alliances that make up the council.

According to the statement, the meeting included in-depth discussions and the presentation of several proposed mechanisms designed to ease the process of choosing the next Speaker of Parliament. The council agreed to further study and discuss these proposals in the coming days, with a final decision expected to be taken at the next meeting.

The post of Speaker of Parliament is traditionally allocated to the Sunni component, and Sunni political forces are currently engaged in consultations to reach consensus on a single candidate.

The developments come as Iraq moves into the constitutional phase of forming a new government. President Abdul Latif Rashid issued a presidential decree on December 16 inviting members of the newly elected Council of Representatives to convene their first session on December 29, 2025. This followed the Federal Supreme Court’s ratification of the final election results on December 14, formally triggering the constitutional timelines.

Under constitutional provisions outlined by the Supreme Judicial Council, parliament is required to elect the Speaker of the Council of Representatives and two deputies within 15 days of the ratification. These positions are to be elected by an absolute majority during the first session, which is chaired by the oldest member and includes lawmakers taking the constitutional oath.

Within 30 days of electing the Speaker and deputies, parliament must elect the President of the Republic by a two-thirds majority—220 votes in the 329-seat legislature. The elected president then has 15 days to designate a prime ministerial nominee, who is granted up to 90 days to form a cabinet and present it to parliament for a vote of confidence.

Final election results show the Construction and Development Coalition, led by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, emerged as the largest bloc with 46 seats. The State of Law Coalition, headed by Nouri al-Maliki, secured 29 seats, while Taqaddum and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) each won 27 seats. The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) obtained 18 seats. Nationwide voter turnout reached 56.11 percent.

Prior to the court’s ratification, the Shiite Coordination Framework announced it had formed the largest parliamentary bloc and reaffirmed its intention to proceed with nominating the next prime minister, stressing national cooperation and strict adherence to constitutional deadlines to ensure a smooth transfer of power.

At the same time, the KDP and PUK continue to highlight the absence of a unified Kurdish position in Baghdad. While both parties seek influence in the formation of the next federal cabinet, they are negotiating separately with Iraqi political forces. This division stands in contrast to the broader Iraqi political landscape, where major Shiite and Sunni blocs have largely consolidated into unified alliances to negotiate government formation.

Iraqi political forces have repeatedly urged the Kurdish parties—particularly the KDP and PUK—to reach an internal agreement, especially regarding the post of President of the Republic, which is traditionally allocated to the Kurds.