Latest news with #Al-Halbousi
Shafaq News
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Al-Halbousi's party to contest elections without alliances
Shafaq News/ On Thursday, the National Progress Party (Taqaddum), led by former Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi, announced its decision to contest the upcoming parliamentary elections independently, without forming any electoral alliance. In a statement, the party leadership confirmed it had formally registered under the 'Taqaddum Party' with the Independent High Electoral Commission on Thursday, May 22. Earlier, Iraq's judiciary cleared Al-Halbousi of all previously filed charges, paving the way for his candidacy in Baghdad in the upcoming parliamentary elections. In the 2021 elections, the former Speaker's party won 37 out of 329 seats, making it the second-largest bloc in parliament after the Sadrists.
Iraqi News
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Iraqi News
Iraq's judiciary acquits Al-Halbousi of forgery
Baghdad – Iraq's judiciary has acquitted the influential former parliament speaker, Mohammed Al-Halbousi, after dismissing him in 2023 over accusations of forging a document, his office announced Sunday. Al-Halbousi had been the highest-ranking Sunni official since he first became speaker of parliament in 2018 with the support of Iraq's powerful pro-Iran parties, and then in 2022 following early elections. But in November 2023, Iraq's Federal Supreme Court dismissed Al-Halbousi after a lawmaker accused him of forging a resignation letter and said the former speaker had changed the date on an older document to force him out of parliament. Al-Halbousi's media office said on Sunday that 'the Iraqi judiciary acquitted' the former head of parliament 'of the charges previously brought against him.' It added that the courts 'dismissed the complaints' and closed the investigation. Al-Halbousi, who heads the Taqadom party, is known for his rapid ascent in Iraqi politics and as a key interlocutor for many Western and Arab dignitaries. Iraq's 329-member parliament is dominated by a coalition of pro-Iran Shiite parties. Under a power-sharing system adopted in Iraq in the aftermath of the 2003 US-led invasion, political positions are divided between Iraq's ethnic and confessional communities. In the top positions, the role of prime minister, currently held by Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, always goes to a Shiite Muslim, that of speaker of parliament to a Sunni Muslim and the presidency to a Kurd.
Shafaq News
27-04-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Path opens for Al-Halbousi's return following court decisions
Shafaq News/ Iraq's judiciary cleared Mohamed Al-Halbousi, leader of the Taqaddum (Progress) Alliance, of all previously filed charges, the alliance announced on Sunday. The alliance's media office revealed in a statement that the Iraqi judiciary acquitted Al-Halbousi of all prior accusations. It added that the relevant courts dismissed the complaints, dropped the charges, and closed the investigations against Al-Halbousi, with the Federal Court of Cassation upholding the rulings, making them final. Additionally, Taqaddum official Ammar Al-Jumaili told Shafaq News that the court decision legally enables Al-Halbousi to return to the presidency of the Council of Representatives, although no final decision has yet been made and the matter remains subject to Al-Halbousi's own choice. Al-Jumaili said Al-Halbousi would be the alliance's top candidate in Baghdad in the upcoming parliamentary elections and expressed confidence that the speakership would be secured for him in the next legislative term. In November 2023, Iraq's Federal Supreme Court terminated Al-Halbousi's membership in parliament following allegations that he forged a resignation letter for fellow lawmaker Laith Al-Dulaimi. The court's decision, deemed final and not subject to appeal, led to Al-Halbousi's removal from his position as Speaker of Parliament.
Shafaq News
27-04-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Baghdad council member quits Taqadum party
Shafaq News/ A member of the Baghdad Provincial Council, Rafah Al-Zubaie, announced on Sunday her withdrawal from the Taqadum (The National Progress) party led by former Iraqi parliament speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi. In a statement, Al-Zubaie said her decision was in protest against "exclusion and obstruction of free and collective action." Taqadum secured eight seats out of 49 in the Baghdad Provincial Council during Iraq's 2023 local elections. However, the party has faced a series of defections following Al-Halbousi's removal from the speakership. On June 6, 2024, eleven lawmakers and provincial council members announced their departure from Taqadum, forming a new political bloc called the Initiative (Mubadara) Coalition. The group included senior figures such as Shalaan Al-Karim. Member of Parliament Ziad Al-Janabi held a press conference at the time to declare the split, which effectively cost Taqadum a third of its parliamentary seats. The defectors attributed their withdrawal to political stagnation and the prolonged failure of the legislature to elect a new speaker, demanding the implementation of the political agreement framework that led to the formation of the current government under Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani. Following the formation of the Initiative bloc, lawmaker Nawras Al-Eisa also announced her departure from Taqadum to join the new coalition. Further rifts emerged when senior Taqadum member Kareem Al-Dulaimi declared his resignation from the party, criticizing Al-Halbousi's leadership style as "authoritarian" and accusing him of monopolizing decision-making and suppressing dissenting opinions.
