Iraqi Parliament Prepares for New Session as Leadership Posts Remain Undecided

PUKMEDIA

Iraqi parliament.

The first session of the sixth term of the Iraqi parliament is scheduled for 29 December 2025, when the winning parliamentary candidates will be sworn in, and efforts to elect the parliament’s leadership will begin. If the Speaker and their two deputies are not elected during the first session, the parliament has 15 days to complete the process. The position of Second Deputy Speaker is reserved for a Kurd.

Harem Kamal Agha, a winning candidate from the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) bloc, told PUKMEDIA that “political parties have not yet reached an agreement on their nominees for the position of Speaker.” He added that the session will be chaired by the oldest member, in line with constitutional procedures, and confirmed the agreed distribution of leadership roles: Speaker for the Sunni component, First Deputy Speaker for the Shia, and Second Deputy Speaker for the Kurds.

Constitutional Deadlines Create Pressure

With the opening of the first session, constitutional deadlines for electing the President of Iraq and forming the government are activated. The parliament must elect a president within 30 days, who will then task the largest parliamentary bloc with forming the government within 15 days. The prime minister-designate must present the cabinet and government programme to parliament within 30 days for a vote of confidence.

Sunni Parties Face Urgent Decisions

The election of the Speaker marks the first stage of government formation, traditionally allocated to the Sunni bloc. However, disagreements persist between the Progress Party, led by Mohammed al-Halbousi, and the Azm Alliance, led by Muthanna al-Samarrai, over the candidate for Speaker. Should the Sunnis fail to reach a consensus, the position will be decided by secret ballot in parliament.

Shia Divisions Complicate Negotiations

The Shia parties are not under immediate constitutional pressure but face internal divisions, primarily among Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani, Nouri al-Maliki, and former Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi. A newly formed alliance led by Hadi al-Amiri and Shibl al-Zaidi, holding around 30 seats, has further complicated the distribution of ministerial posts.

PUK Secures Presidency Amid Kurdish Negotiations

The presidency is allocated to the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK). However, no agreement has been reached with the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) on presenting a unified Kurdish position, particularly in coordination with the formation of the tenth KRG cabinet. The PUK insists that the presidency remain within its party. Observers suggest that the formation of both the Kurdistan Regional Government and the Iraqi government, as well as the allocation of ministerial posts, will likely be negotiated as part of a single, comprehensive package with the KDP.


PUKMEDIA