Iraqi Sunni bloc nominates new parliament speaker

Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-15 04:00:06|Editor: Yurou
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IRAQ-BAGHDAD-SUNNI BLOC-PARLIAMENT SPEAKER-NOMINATION

Mohammed al-Halbousi (1st R) attends a press conference in Baghdad, Iraq, on Sept. 14, 2018. The Sunni parliamentary bloc National Axis Coalition on Friday nominated former Anbar governor Mohammed al-Halbousi as speaker in Iraq's next parliament. (Xinhua/Khalil Dawood)

BAGHDAD, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The Sunni parliamentary bloc National Axis Coalition on Friday nominated former Anbar governor Mohammed al-Halbousi as speaker in Iraq's next parliament.

"We declare to the Iraqi people and our partners of the political blocs our nomination to engineer Mohammed Reikan al-Halbousi as our candidate to be a speaker as we are the bloc that have the biggest number of members in parliament," Ahmed al-Jubouri, from the Sunni coalition said in a statement at a press conference in Baghdad.

Jubouri confirmed that he is confident that Halbousi will gain the support of the political partners.

"The 50 members in parliament (from the Sunni coalition) have signed and pledged to vote for Halbousi in the parliament session scheduled for tomorrow," said Laith al-Dulaimi, spokesman of the National Axis Coalition.

Several members of parliament who won for the other Sunni blocs are competing for the speaker post, including the former defense minister Khalid al-Obeidi and the former speaker Osama al-Nujaifi.

Mohammed Zayni, the eldest member of parliament who temporarily chairs the newly elected parliament, decided to resume the parliament session on Sept. 15 to elect a new speaker and two of his deputies.

According to the Iraqi constitution, after electing speaker and two deputies, the parliament should elect a president of the country who will ask the largest alliance to form a government within 30 days.

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