Longstanding conflicts over Iraq’s current legislative agenda have re-emerged amid Sunni division over who will succeed former parliament speaker Mohammed Al-Halbousi (2018–23). Since the prominent Sunni politician’s ouster from the legislature in Nov. 2023, his first deputy Mohsen Al-Mandalawi—a member of the Shiite Coordination Framework—has assumed his duties. Of note, the Federal Supreme Court ruled to end Halbousi’s speakership following a complaint lodged by a former member of his own bloc over alleged forgery.

Under the ethno-sectarian apportionment system put in place following the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq—known as Muhasasa Ta’ifia in Arabic—the parliament speaker is customarily a Sunni politician. This is while the presidency is presided over by a Kurd and the premiership is controlled by...