Baghdad, Iraq – The Iraqi parliament elected MP Hebat Hamad Abbas Al-Halbousi as Speaker of the Council for its sixth parliamentary session on Monday, during the first session of the new parliament,
in a step that is considered an opening stage for the process of forming the next government.
Al-Halbousi, 45, a candidate from the “Progress” party, was elected after receiving 208 votes.
Following the withdrawal of Muthanna al-Samarrai, head of the Azm Alliance, from the race for the presidency of the council,
The competition inside the hall turned into a confrontation between three candidates:
Hebat Al-Halbousi, Salem Al-Issawi, and Amer Abdul-Jabbar.
Blocs within the council
According to the voting results, Salem Al-Issawi received 66 votes,
while Amer Abdul-Jabbar received 9 votes, and 26 ballots were invalid.
The National Political Council, which includes prominent Sunni forces,
had announced on the eve of the session the nomination of Hebat al-Halbousi.
This represents a number of blocs within the council, in light of the clear differences witnessed
in the Sunni political arena prior to the decision on the position.
Hebat al-Halbousi is the cousin of Mohammed al-Halbousi, the former Speaker of Parliament for the past two terms.
It is seen as an extension of his political line, with a focus on a Sunni consensus approach
and pragmatism in managing the affairs of the council.
Al-Halbousi’s biography
Al-Halbousi previously served as a member of the House of Representatives in the fourth and fifth sessions,
and also chaired the Oil and Energy Committee, one of the most prominent sovereign committees in Parliament.
He played an influential role in policy legislation and performance monitoring in the oil and energy sectors.
The new Speaker of Parliament holds both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree
in Political Science from Al-Mustansiriya University in Baghdad.
He is one of the founding leaders of the “Progress” party and one of the prominent
and influential figures in the Iraqi political scene.
