Iraq’s Federal Supreme Court topples Parliament Speaker
The Speaker of the Parliament Muhammad Al-Halbousi. Photo: INA
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – The Federal Supreme Court in Iraq decided on Tuesday to end the term of the Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament, Muhammad Al-Halbousi.
The decision took place after MP Laith Al-Dulaimi filed a lawsuit against Al-Halbousi, accusing him of forgery.
According to experts, the decision will have serious political consequences that will turn the career of the most powerful Sunni politician in Iraq upside down.
The court also decided to end the term of Al-Dulaimi. The court’s decisions are final and not subject to appeal.
Since the adoption of the constitution in 2005 in the post-Saddam Hussein era, the Prime Minister is a Shiite, the Speaker of Parliament is a Sunni, and the President of the country is a Kurd.
First Deputy Speaker Mohsen Al-Mandalawi would oversee the legislature.
The verdict also comes ahead of Iraq’s provincial elections scheduled for December 18.
Al-Halbousi has held the position of Speaker of Parliament since September 15, 2018. He is the youngest Speaker of Parliament in the history of Iraq and the first to be re-elected as Speaker of Parliament in the country.