Iraq Federal Supreme Court Terminates Speaker of Parliament

This news story from AP News - In a high-profile feud between the speaker and a rival lawmaker, Iraq's top court ruled Tuesday that they should be expelled from Parliament.

In a statement, the Federal Supreme Court said it decided to terminate Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi's and lawmaker Laith al-Dulaimi's membership in Parliament.

The ruling was deemed unconstitutional by Halbousi, while his party said its members would withdraw from government and parliament positions to protest the decision.

The highest Sunni official in Iraq, Halbousi, was a former governor of western Iraq's Anbar province who maintained close relations with Gulf countries. The speaker of the parliament is always a Sunni, the prime minister a Shiite, and the president a Kurd.

He said in a video statement following the ruling, "I am surprised by the issuance of these decisions. I am surprised by the lack of respect for the Constitution."

During his five years as speaker, he "never discriminated between Sunnis and Shiites."

As a result of Halbousi's ruling, the Takadum (Progress) party announced that its representatives in the federal government — including the deputy prime minister — would resign in protest and its members of Parliament would boycott parliamentary sessions and resign from parliamentary committees.

Iraqi parliamentarians who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment on the matter said the court decision cannot be appealed and a new speaker must be elected.

One of the officials said the legislature will be managed by First Deputy Speaker Mohsen Al-Mandalawi.

No comment from Halbousi was made available.

Iraq's provincial elections are scheduled for Dec. 18.

Note:  These actions could result in disharmony in Parliament, especially if members of PLarliament follow through on protesting the high court's decision.