On Sunday, the Federal Supreme Court, the highest judicial authority in Iraq, received a lawsuit invalidating Shaalan al-Karim’s nomination for presidency of the Iraqi Council of Representatives.
The lawsuit has been filed by Representative Yousef Al-Kalabi and Representative Faleh Al-Khazali.
The lawsuit requested a state order to halt the election session until the lawsuit is resolved.
The first round of voting for the new Speaker of the House of Representatives concluded yesterday, with Shaalan Al-Karim, who was supported by Al-Halbousi, leading with 152 votes. Salem Al-Issawi, who was supported by the Sovereignty Alliance, came in second with 97 votes.
The Iraqi Council of Representatives suspended the session to choose a new Speaker of Parliament after a dispute between members led to the cancellation of Muhammad al-Halbousi’s membership by order of the Federal Court.
