Iraqi Sunni forces unite their ranks to coordinate positions after the elections news

The leaders of the most prominent Sunni forces in Iraq announced, on Sunday, the formation of a unified political grouping under the name “National Political Council” with the aim of unifying visions and decisions after the legislative elections that the Sunni parties ran with separate lists.

The announcement came after a meeting in Baghdad that included the leaders of five major parties and alliances, including the “Progress” Movement led by former Parliament Speaker Muhammad al-Halbousi, and the “Sovereignty” Alliance headed by businessman Khamis al-Khanjar, who is subject to US sanctions, along with the “Azm,” “Hasm al-Watani” parties, and “the masses,” on the initiative of al-Khanjar.

A statement issued by the two meetings explained that the Council will be a comprehensive umbrella to coordinate positions and unify decisions regarding various major national files, and work with a common vision to guarantee constitutional rights and enhance Sunni representation in state institutions, with periodic meetings continuing throughout the sixth parliamentary session.

The leaders stressed that the Council will remain open to all national partners, adhering to the constants that preserve Iraq’s unity and stability and preserve the rights of all its components without exception, based on a national vision that aims to build a strong and just state.

The council includes about 65 deputies in the new parliament, and is negotiating to obtain the position of Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament in the current session, in addition to ministerial portfolios, most notably the Ministry of Defense.

Since the first multiple elections that Iraq witnessed in 2005, two years after the American invasion that overthrew the regime of President Saddam Hussein, the Speaker of the House of Representatives has become a Sunni, the Prime Minister has become a Shiite and is the de facto representative of the executive authority, and the President of the Republic has become a Kurd, based on a quota system between the influential political forces.

This comes at a time when the “Coordinating Framework” coalition, composed of Shiite parties, announced last week the formation of the largest parliamentary bloc, and the next day the coalition of caretaker Prime Minister Muhammad Shiaa al-Sudani joined it, giving it the parliamentary majority to choose the next prime minister. This bloc won more than 175 seats, that is, more than half of the 326 seats in parliament.