On Saturday, following the breaching of its building by supporters of Muqtada al-Sadr, the parliament speaker announced that Iraq’s parliament session was suspended.
Mohammed al-Halbousi said the country is going through difficult and sensitive times, and that differences of opinion between political groups are a normal situation in democratically based, developed countries, a statement published by the Iraqi official agency expressed.
Al-Halbousi called on all political parties to prioritize the interests of the state, stressing that no matter the size of the disagreements, the solution is dialogue.
Parliamentary sessions are suspended until a decision based on public safety, national responsibilities, and constitutional rights is made, and called for peaceful action and protection of state property, he stated.
Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi to take necessary measures to protect state institutions and demonstrators, Al-Halbousi also called.
A new Iraqi government has not been formed since early parliamentary elections were held last October, due to political differences.
In order to help end the over eight-month crisis, the Coordination Framework alliance chose Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudan, 52, as a candidate to head the next government on July 25.
As the protest movement and the Shiite Sadrist movement demanded the nomination of a figure without any history with the government, stances on al-Sudani’s candidacy were divided between supporters and opponents.
