2025-12-06T07:31:59+00:00
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Shafaq News
With the fifth
parliamentary term drawing to a close, the newly elected legislature now faces
the task of selecting Iraq’s next parliament speaker. The National Political
Council — a Sunni political coalition formed after Iraq’s 2025 parliamentary
elections — reviewed a shortlist of candidates and verified that each meets the
criteria set for the role.
Six figures have
emerged as leading contenders: former Speaker Mohammed Al-Halbousi, Al-Azm
leader Muthanna Al-Samarrai, former Education Minister Mohammed Tamim, Defense
Minister Thabet Al-Abbasi, MP Salem Al-Issawi, and MP Mahmoud Al-Qaisi.
Mohammed Al-Halbousi
Former Speaker
Mohammed Rikan Hadid Al-Halbousi, head of the Taqaddum (Progress) Party, was
born in 1981 in Al-Garma in Al-Anbar Province. He holds a bachelor’s degree in
civil engineering from Al-Mustansiriyah University and completed postgraduate
studies in construction methods and project management. Before entering
national politics, he worked as an engineer in infrastructure and contracting projects
across Al-Anbar.
Al-Halbousi began his
political career after 2014, rising quickly within the Sunni political sphere.
He entered parliament in 2014 and again in 2018, and later served briefly as
governor of Al-Anbar from August 2017 to September 2018. That same year, he
became Speaker of Parliament, becoming the youngest figure to occupy the post.
His term ended in November 2023 after Iraq’s Federal Supreme Court removed him
from parliament on forgery charges.
In April 2025, Iraq’s
judiciary cleared him of those charges, closing the case. His party, Taqaddum,
secured 27 seats in the 2025 elections, emerging as the leading Sunni bloc.
Muthanna Al-Samarrai
Muthanna Abdul Sattar
Fadhel Al-Samarrai, leader of the Al-Azm (Determination) Alliance, was born in
1974 in Samarra of Saladin Province. He holds a degree in engineering and spent
years in the private sector before entering politics.
Al-Samarrai gained
national visibility during the Sunni political realignment that followed the
2018 elections and became one of the most active parliamentary voices within
Al-Azm. His standing grew further when he assumed leadership of the alliance,
which positioned itself as a counterweight to Al-Halbousi’s Taqaddum. In the
2025 parliamentary elections, his party secured 15 seats.
Thabet Al-Abbasi
Defense Minister
Thabet Mohammed Saeed Al-Abbasi was born in Mosul in 1968. He holds a degree in
military sciences from the Iraqi Military College and has completed advanced
courses in strategic studies. Al-Abbasi served for many years within Iraq’s
military institutions, taking roles related to training, logistics, and
operational planning.
He gained national
prominence after becoming Minister of Defense in January 2023, overseeing
restructuring efforts within the Iraqi Armed Forces, improvements in
coordination between federal and regional forces, and operations against ISIS
remnants in the desert and border regions.
Al-Abbasi leads the
Al-Hasm al-Watani bloc (The National Resolve Alliance), which secured 5 seats
in the 2025 elections.
Mohammed Tamim
Former Minister of
Education Mohammed Iqbal Omar Abdullah Tamim was born in Kirkuk in 1973. He
earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Baghdad University and
later completed a doctorate focused on governance and public administration.
Before joining the
Iraqi cabinet, Tamim worked in academia and held advisory posts related to
administrative reform. He first entered parliament in 2010 as part of the
Iraqiya List, later transitioning into ministerial roles. Between 2011 and
2014, he served as Minister of Education, concentrating on curricular updates
and the rehabilitation of schools in areas affected by conflict.
His candidacy
attracts parties seeking a technocratic figure with administrative experience
rather than a traditional power player.
Salem Al-Issawi
Salem Matar Issa
Al-Issawi, a Sunni politician from Al-Anbar, was born in 1972 in Fallujah. He
holds a degree in business administration and initially worked in the private
sector before moving into political life.
Al-Issawi is a key
member of Iraq’s Sovereignty Alliance (Al-Siyada), led by Khamis al-Khanjar.
The alliance won 9 seats in the 2025 parliamentary elections.
Mahmoud Al-Qaisi
Mahmoud Dahham
Al-Qaisi, a current parliamentarian from Al-Anbar, was born in 1965 in the Qaim
district near the Iraqi-Syrian border. He holds a bachelor’s degree in law and
spent much of his early career in legal administration and provincial courts.
His political entry
followed the post-ISIS stabilization period, during which he represented border
communities affected by conflict and displacement. Al-Qaisi has also worked on
several legislative committees focused on legal affairs and administrative
integrity.
He is associated with
Al-Hasm al-Watani bloc (The National Resolve Alliance), headed by another
candidate, current Defense Minister Thabet Al-Abbasi.
Read more: Five contenders eye Iraq’s top post: PM selection looms
Written and edited by
Shafaq News staff.
