Iraq’s high court docket guidelines to oust the speaker and a rival lawmaker from Parliament

BAGHDAD — Iraq’s high court docket dominated Thursday that the speaker and a rival lawmaker ought to be ousted from Parliament, following a high-profile feud between the 2 males, however the panel didn’t give a cause for the decision.

The Federal Supreme Court mentioned in an announcement it determined to terminate Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi’s membership in Parliament together with that of lawmaker Laith al-Dulaimi. It didn’t elaborate on why it was issuing the choice.

Halbousi has been the very best Sunni official in Iraq. Under the nation’s sectarian power-sharing system, the parliament speaker is at all times Sunni, the prime minister Shiite and the president Kurdish.

The court docket determination got here in opposition to the backdrop of a dispute between Halbousi and Dulaimi, additionally Sunni. Dulaimi had filed a lawsuit in opposition to Halbousi claiming that the speaker had solid Dulaimi’s signature on a resignation letter, an allegation that Halbousi denied.

Halbousi mentioned in a video assertion following the ruling, “I am surprised by the issuance of these decisions. I am surprised by the lack of respect for the Constitution.”

He mentioned that in his 5 years as speaker he had operated with integrity and “never discriminated between Sunnis and Shiites.”

Two Iraqi parliamentary officers who spoke on situation of anonymity as a result of they weren’t licensed to touch upon the matter mentioned the court docket determination can’t be appealed and the parliament might want to elect a brand new speaker.

The legislature can be managed by First Deputy Speaker Mohsen Al-Mandalawi, one of many officers mentioned.

Halbousi couldn’t instantly be reached for remark.

The political shakeup comes forward of Iraq‘s scheduled Dec. 18 provincial elections.

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Associated Press writers Abby Sewell in Beirut and Abdulrahman Zeyad in Baghdad contributed to this report.