The Iraqi Federal Supreme Court made a significant decision on Tuesday, terminating the tenure of parliament speaker Mohammed Halbousi, according to state media. This move carries profound political implications, disrupting the career of Iraq’s most influential Sunni Muslim politician.
In a video shared by his media office, Halbousi expressed his surprise at the “strange” decision, suggesting that it violated the constitution and undermined national stability, although he did not provide further details. State media indicated that the decision was linked to a Federal Supreme Court case initiated against Halbousi earlier this year, without offering specific details.
Halbousi who was re-elected in 2022, was in his second term as speaker, a position he assumed in 2018. As per the sectarian power-sharing system established after the 2003 U.S. invasion, this role is the highest office reserved for a Sunni Muslim. The court’s ruling is final and not subject to appeal.
Since the 2005 post-Saddam Hussein constitution, Iraq’s governing system designates the prime minister as a member of the Shiite Muslim majority, the speaker as a Sunni, and the largely ceremonial role of president held by a Kurd. This sectarian-based formula has faced strain due to competing agendas, dividing oil wealth among factions without preventing bloodshed.
Halbousi, a 42-year-old engineer from western Iraq, who previously worked as a U.S. contractor post-invasion, built alliances with Shi’ites and Kurds, contributing to his rise in power. Following the court’s decision, lawmakers convened for a regular parliamentary session, and Halbousi was in the chamber at the time.
Deputy speaker Mohsen al-Mandalawi, a Shiite, assumes the interim speaker role until a new speaker is elected. Halbousi’s removal comes just over a month before Iraq, one of the world’s youngest democracies, holds elections for provincial councils, marking a significant shift in the political landscape.
