A leader in the Azm movement: Muthanna al-Samarrai is the most likely candidate for Speaker of Parliament.

A leader in the Al-Azm Alliance suggested on Sunday that the alliance’s leader, Muthanna al-Samarrai, is the most likely candidate to obtain the position of Speaker of the next House of Representatives, ruling out the return of former Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi for several reasons.

The leader of the coalition, Issa Al-Sayer, told Shafaq News Agency that “the behind-the-scenes meetings and dialogues of the National Political Council of the Sunni component revolve around the nomination of the next Speaker of Parliament, and according to the data, a new candidate will be nominated for the presidency of the next parliamentary session,” noting that “the closest is the leader of the Azm Alliance, Muthanna Al-Samarrai.”

Al-Sayer ruled out Al-Halbousi’s return to the presidency of the legislative authority “for multiple reasons,” which he declined to elaborate on.

He explained that “more than one candidate will compete for the presidency of the parliament, including Mohammed Nouri Al-Karbouli in addition to Muthanna Al-Samarrai.”

Mohammed Abbas, spokesman for the Sovereignty Alliance, revealed earlier this week that there are some secret names being discussed behind the scenes as potential candidates for the presidency of the Iraqi parliament.

Prior to that, Jamal al-Karbouli, leader of the Al-Hal Party, hinted at a new figure assuming the presidency of the Iraqi parliament, as al-Karbouli said, in a post he published on the “X” platform, that “the gavel of parliament will be in a hand that has never held it before.”

The Sunni alliances and parties that won the elections announced last Sunday the establishment of the “National Political Council”.

This came during an expanded meeting held at the initiative and invitation of the head of the Sovereignty Alliance, Khamis al-Khanjar, in Baghdad, with the aim of unifying visions and positions regarding major national issues and strengthening joint work between political leaders and blocs, according to a statement issued at the time.

According to the final election results, Sunni forces won 77 seats, making the reshaping of alliances a crucial factor in the negotiations to form the next government.

Shafaq.com

National electricity service has returned to normal, and the “Ronaki” project is now offering 24-hour electricity in Kurdistan.

The Ministry of Electricity in the Kurdistan Regional Government announced on Sunday that the electricity supply has returned to normal, including to the “Ronaki” project, in all cities of the region.

The ministry said in a brief statement received by Shafaq News Agency that “the national electricity has returned to normal and the ‘Ronaki’ project has been re-supplied with electricity 24 hours a day.”

The Ministry of Electricity in the Kurdistan Region announced this morning the resumption of gas pumping operations from the Kormor gas field to the region’s power generation stations .

The ministry said in a statement that at 2:00 AM today, gas transport from the Kormor field to power stations was resumed .

The statement added that the power stations will be restarted, noting that the electricity situation is witnessing a marked improvement, and the situation will return to normal completely within 24 hours .

On the night of the 26th to the 27th of this month, the Kormor gas field in the Chamchamal district of Sulaymaniyah Governorate was attacked by “drones,” which led to a fire breaking out in one of the fields and the cessation of gas supplies to power generation stations, according to the Ministries of Natural Resources and Electricity in the Kurdistan Region.

Shafaq.com

The Central Bank identifies 3 solutions to address the debt issue

The Central Bank of Iraq identified three solutions to address the country’s debt problem. While noting that a large part of the internal debt could be addressed through joint understandings, it stressed the need to diversify non-oil revenues and increase investments, asserting that these approaches would transform the economy from a rentier economy to a diversified and productive one.

Earlier, a number of economic experts downplayed the risks of Iraq’s internal and external public debt, stressing that its ratio is still within the safe international standard range, indicating that the strength of the foreign currency reserves has contributed to the stability of Iraq’s financial situation.

Amid this, the Prime Minister’s financial advisor, Dr. Mazhar Muhammad Saleh, stated in a statement to Al-Sabah last week that “only $3 billion remains of the Paris Club debt, and it will be settled by 2028, and that 47% of the internal debt remains within the investment portfolio of the Central Bank of Iraq, and it is covered as cash liquidity or cash liabilities at a rate of more than 100% in foreign currency, thanks to the strength of Iraq’s foreign reserves.”

The official spokesperson for the Central Bank, Alaa Al-Fahd, explained to Al-Sabah newspaper that “all countries, including the United States of America, have internal and external debts,” indicating that debt is not considered negative for the economy if it is directed towards investment spending, because it generates

For additional entry.

Al-Fahd continued, “The debts in Iraq are to cover the operational budget deficit, meaning they are directed towards consumption, and therefore they are a future constraint on debt repayment.”

And its installments and interest.”

Al-Fahd identified three ways to address the country’s debt, most notably diversifying non-oil revenues, increasing investments, and partnering with the private sector, which could reduce dependence on oil, while acknowledging the difficulty of achieving the latter option in a short period of time.

Al-Fahd explained that the external debt amounts to $13 billion, while the internal debt amounts to 91 trillion dinars, noting that a large part of it can be dealt with because the banks are government-owned and state-owned, ruling out that these debts pose any danger to the economic reality, but continuing to rely on debt constitutes a warning bell, according to his description.

For his part, Dr. Ahmed Al-Hathal, Professor of Economics at Al-Mustansiriya University, said that the problem does not lie in the size of the debt as much as it lies in the way it is financed.

Al-Hathal added to Al-Sabah that “financing the deficit through the monetary institution by discounting bonds and financing current spending is the most dangerous path because it leads to unproductive monetary expansion that raises inflation and puts pressure on the exchange rate, and it also weakens the balance sheet of the central bank after it has come to own a large part of the internal debt, which is a worrying situation in any economy.”

He explained that the danger lies in the rentier nature of the economy, with inflated operating spending, stagnant non-oil revenues, and the inability of productive sectors to generate added value. This makes domestic borrowing for consumption, rather than investment, a future burden, because the state will pay off the debt burden by putting pressure on the limited tax capacity of the national taxpaying power, while the risks move from banks to public finances and then directly to the currency.

Al-Hathal explained that the accumulation of non-tradable bonds limits the ability of the monetary policymaker to manage liquidity and increases the fragility of the financial position, while inflationary financing leads to greater pressure on foreign reserves and depletes stabilization tools, making the currency vulnerable to decline with any oil shock.

He pointed out that talking about diversifying revenues and increasing investment remains logical in principle, but it does not address the real problem of continuing to finance the deficit in a way that generates inflation, increases monetary expansion, and weakens the ability to stabilize the currency, at a time when obligations are rising year after year without real structural reform.

Alsabaah.iq

Al-Rasheed Bank relaunches credit card advances with a maximum limit of 15 million dinars.

Al-Rasheed Bank announced today, Monday, the relaunch of its electronic loan service through the credit card with a maximum limit of 15 million dinars.

The bank said in a statement received by Al-Maalomah Agency that “it has been decided to relaunch the electronic advances service through the credit card, in a step that enhances its digital services and facilitates financial facilities for employees.”

He added that “the service is directed to employees of state departments and members of the Ministries of Interior and Defense whose salaries have been deposited with the bank, where they can apply to obtain a loan equivalent to five salaries with a maximum of 15 million Iraqi dinars,” noting that “the application is done electronically only through the Al-Rasheed Bank application.”

He noted that “this measure comes within the framework of the bank’s move towards digital transformation and enhancing access to modern financial services in a secure and fast manner that keeps pace with developments in the sector.”

Almaalomah.me

Al-Halbousi is out of office… Political norms thwart his ambitions for the presidency and parliament.

The head of the Progress Party, Mohammed al-Halbousi, failed to obtain support and consensus from the Sunni forces and the rest of the political parties to win the position of President of the Republic, given that the prevailing political custom confirms that this position is the share of the Kurdish component, in addition to the rejection of al-Halbousi’s presence as a candidate for the position of Speaker of Parliament after he was dismissed from the position on charges of forgery in the last parliamentary session. Consequently, al-Halbousi will be excluded from the circle of presidential positions despite obtaining the first rank in terms of the number of parliamentary seats within the Sunni component.

Fadi Al-Lahibi, a member of the Al-Azm Alliance, told Al-Maalouma, “The possibility of Al-Halbousi returning to the presidency of Parliament is unlikely given the prevailing sentiment to avoid repeating the past experience, which resulted in many complications in the political landscape. Many political forces, including Sunni and Kurdish groups, support the selection of one of the Al-Azm Alliance’s candidates for Speaker of Parliament, considering him the most open to all forces and with clear positions.” He added, “Al-Halbousi’s return to the Speakership is unlikely, and many forces have begun to state this. The next phase is expected to be different, but ultimately, it is the Sunni forces, including the Al-Azm Alliance, who determine who assumes the Speakership and whose candidate is put forward.”

For his part, Muhammad al-Fahdawi, a leader in the United Anbar Alliance, told Al-Maalouma that “the political process since its inception has adopted the principle of consensus and political norms in distributing the three presidencies, and that any change or replacement in these positions requires consensus among all components, in addition to the acceptance of a specific component represented by its political forces, as al-Halbousi’s desire to grant the Sunni component the presidency of the republic is a difficult step, and does not have the approval of the majority of Sunni forces, as the position is protocol-based and does not achieve real gains for the component, but rather falls within personal interests.”

In a related context, political analyst Yassin Aziz told Al-Maalomah that “the Sunni component suffers from service, economic, and security problems that require urgent solutions, making the competition for the presidency less important compared to these more pressing issues. The three presidential positions in Iraq were previously agreed upon by the political forces according to the norms followed since 2005, and changing this norm requires a comprehensive national agreement, which does not seem possible at present.” He pointed out that “the Sunni component does not stand united behind Mohammed al-Halbousi’s insistence on the presidency, and a number of Sunni forces believe that persisting in this position could exacerbate internal divisions and affect their stance in the government formation negotiations.”

Almaalomah.me

After a sudden rise, the Central Bank of Iraq reassures markets: The dinar is stable.

The Central Bank of Iraq confirmed on Monday that there is no intention to change the exchange rate of the Iraqi dinar against the US dollar, stressing its continued support for the stability of the exchange rate, and indicating that statements related to changing it aim to confuse the market, stir up speculation and affect the stability of the national economy.

The statement from the Central Bank of Iraq comes in conjunction with a sudden rise in the exchange rate of the dollar in Iraqi markets today, amid economic controversy over the reasons for the rise and its repercussions on the general budget and the local economy.

The bank said in a statement received by Shafaq News Agency that it has made tangible progress in its strategic objectives related to maintaining the stability of the general price level, noting that the inflation rate has fallen to historically low levels, the lowest in the region, thanks to monetary policies and well-considered measures despite the economic challenges.

The statement added that Bank Law No. (56) of 2004, and in particular Article 1/4/A, defines its basic tasks in formulating and implementing monetary policy, including exchange rate policy, stressing that there is no intention to amend the exchange rate of the dinar in line with its goal of ensuring price stability.

The bank noted its continued support for exchange rate stability thanks to ideal levels of foreign currency and gold reserves, while ensuring coverage of all banks’ requests for external reinforcement in US dollars and other foreign currencies such as the Chinese yuan, Turkish lira, Indian rupee, and UAE dirham.

He also confirmed that bank card settlements and personal transfers via MoneyGram and Western Union, as well as cash sales for travel purposes, are continuing, noting that there is no pressure on current reserves.

The statement reiterated that any external statements regarding changing the dinar exchange rate do not reflect the position of the Central Bank and represent opinions aimed at confusing the market and inciting speculation.

Shafaq News Agency published a report on Monday regarding the sudden rise of the dollar, addressing the challenges and concerns associated with the rise and its potential effects, amid differing expert opinions on government measures, with agreement on the need to adopt a comprehensive package of reforms instead of relying on a single tool.

Shafaq.com

The “sudden” rise of the dollar in Iraq: challenges and concerns

The exchange rate of the US dollar in Iraq has been under renewed pressure recently, amid widespread economic debate about the reasons for the rise and its impact on the general budget and the local economy. Experts have differing views on the nature of government measures and their results, with a general agreement on the need for a comprehensive package of reforms instead of relying on a single tool.

On Monday, Iraqi markets recorded a sudden rise in the exchange rate of the dollar against the Iraqi dinar. The Al-Kifah and Al-Harithiya exchanges in Baghdad recorded 144,000 dinars for 100 dollars at midday, compared to 142,250 dinars in the morning. Meanwhile, the selling price in Erbil reached 143,050 dinars and the buying price reached 142,900 dinars for every 100 dollars.

Changing the exchange rate is not a solution

Economic expert Mahmoud Dagher told Shafaq News Agency that the worsening budget deficit prompted the Iraqi government since the end of 2020 to take rapid measures such as reducing the value of the dinar, and then raising the value of the dollar in 2023, but he pointed out that these decisions, despite their importance, are not radical solutions.

Dagher, a former director at the central bank, explained that “reducing or changing the exchange rate cannot be the sole cure for the crisis, as long as it is not accompanied by a set of complementary measures.”

He added that the continuation of the crises is linked to the absence of real reforms in key areas such as combating corruption, improving tax collection, developing the electricity and water sectors, and regulating the work of ports and customs.

Dagher also said: “Changing the exchange rate is worthless if it is a one-off measure. Everyone is treating it as a tool to get out of the crisis, while the truth is that the problem is bigger, and the budget gap can only be overcome through an integrated package of tools, foremost among which is linking spending to revenue.”

Monetary cooperation ensures stability

For his part, the Prime Minister’s financial advisor, Mazhar Muhammad Saleh, confirmed to Shafaq News Agency that there is a high level of constructive cooperation between monetary and fiscal policies based on the principle of indirect monetary adjustment.

He explained that this principle provides initial financial leverage to the banking system by enabling it to purchase government bonds from all local banks, through discounting operations which in turn lead to the stability of the banking system’s liquidity.

Saleh explained that this cooperation is not limited to that, but rather constitutes a fundamental pillar for securing the short-term financing requirements of public finances, which ensures maintaining comfortable levels of liquidity for banks on the one hand, and for public finances when needed on the other hand.

He stressed that the cash liquidity needs and the provision of its requirements are proceeding normally and regularly, and that salaries, wages, pensions and all other financial obligations are in a very safe position and do not face any risks in the short and medium term.

Corruption is putting pressure on the dinar.

Economic expert Hilal Al-Taan believes that the decline in crude oil prices, the main source of the general budget, in addition to the decline in non-oil revenues represented by taxes, customs and state property revenues, along with the presence of administrative and financial corruption in most parts of the state, and the lack of deterrent measures for the corrupt, may lead to a decrease in the exchange rate of the dinar against the dollar.

Al-Taan added to Shafaq News Agency: “This is what happened in the 2021 budget when the price of the dollar was raised from 120,000 to 145,000 dinars, which led to a significant increase in the prices of all food and consumer goods, and put pressure on the livelihood of the poor and middle classes with limited income.”

He continued: “Therefore, all expectations are possible in the absence of a sound and realistic economic policy for the Iraqi economy.”

It appears that the rise in the price of the dollar in Iraq is not related to a single factor, but rather intersects with financial, administrative and structural challenges that require comprehensive solutions, at a time when the government affirms the continuation of financial stability and its ability to meet basic obligations.

Between experts’ warnings and calls for a broad reform package, and the fiscal and monetary policy’s adherence to its current plans, the market remains on the lookout for any practical steps that may determine the course of the next phase.

Shafaq.com

The framework reduces the candidates for the premiership to 3, and a comprehensive movement is underway to name the presidencies.

An informed source revealed on Thursday the three most prominent candidates for the position of Prime Minister, while indicating that next week will witness movement among all political forces to name the three presidencies.

The source told Shafaq News Agency that “meetings are continuing between the forces of the Coordination Framework to decide on the position of Prime Minister and to name the candidate for it, according to the custom followed by the Framework, but this clashes with the position of some of its blocs, which insist on adopting the electoral weight.”

He added that “there are 3 candidates, one of whom will be named through voting within the framework, namely the outgoing Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, the head of the State of Law Coalition Nouri al-Maliki, and the head of the intelligence service Hamid al-Shatri.”

He pointed out that “the two committees formed by the framework will not change the equation for naming the candidate for the position of Prime Minister, because the candidates are from within the Shiite community, and even if a figure is chosen outside of expectations, he will certainly be known to the coordinating framework.”

The Coordination Framework announced last Monday the formation of two committees. The first committee is concerned with forming the government and includes Ammar al-Hakim, Humam Hamoudi and Abdul-Sada al-Fariji, while the second committee is concerned with negotiating with the political parties and includes Nouri al-Maliki, Hadi al-Amiri, Faleh al-Fayyad and Mohsen al-Mandalawi.

On Tuesday, Alaa al-Haddadi, a leader in the State of Law Coalition headed by Nouri al-Maliki, revealed that there is explicit opposition to extending the term of caretaker Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani by several forces within the coordination framework, stressing that these forces reject renewing al-Sudani’s term and prefer another candidate.

Al-Haddadi told Shafaq News Agency that there is explicit opposition to extending Al-Sudani’s term by several forces within the framework, namely Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq, Rights and Services, State of Law, and the Sadiqun bloc, according to him.

For his part, Al-Sudani hinted at his desire to head the next Iraqi government, considering that obtaining a second term is not a personal ambition as much as it is an electoral entitlement due to the “Reconstruction and Development” bloc, which he leads, obtaining the highest number of votes in the elections.

This comes at a time when political sources had previously confirmed to Shafaq News Agency that the competition for the premiership is currently limited to al-Sudani and the head of the intelligence service, Hamid al-Shatri, from among 15 candidates who were discussed within the framework, with al-Sudani being favored if he remains within the framework, given the regional and international support he enjoys.

It is worth noting that the Independent High Electoral Commission in Iraq announced, on November 17, 2025, the final results of the parliamentary elections, revealing that the Development and Reconstruction Coalition had won the most seats in parliament with 46 seats.

Shafaq.com

Al-Kalabi poses 18 questions to the framework regarding Al-Sudani’s performance and calls for a public debate.

Former MP Youssef Al-Kalabi addressed an official letter today, Thursday, to the leaders of the Coordination Framework and the committee tasked with interviewing applicants for the position of Prime Minister, demanding that caretaker Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani be held accountable for a number of files that he said were “documented with evidence,” should the latter apply to occupy the position again.

In his letter entitled “So that we do not forget,” Al-Kalabi said, “It is necessary to ask direct questions to Al-Sudani regarding the size of the internal and external debts that have accumulated during his government’s term, the financial obligations of ongoing projects, the violation of the budget law by not sending the 2025 budget schedules to the House of Representatives, and the mechanism of spending without legislative basis.”

Al-Kalabi called for him to be held accountable for “turning the Council of Ministers into an entity with executive and legislative powers, and his meeting with the leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, Abu Muhammad al-Julani, who is wanted by the Iraqi judiciary under Article 4 of the Anti-Terrorism Law, in addition to preventing the Minister of Finance from attending Parliament and exploiting public funds for political and partisan purposes.”

The letter included criticisms of the government’s performance in the areas of investment, water, combating corruption, managing the oil sector, dealing with the provinces, and withdrawing important laws such as the Popular Mobilization Law and the Civil Service Law, as well as “conflict of interest in the selection of ambassadors, challenging the differences in the Popular Mobilization Forces, and canceling the deduction of the Martyrs Fund.”

Al-Kalabi reiterated his previous call for Al-Sudani to participate in a televised debate, declaring his readiness for a public debate before the Coordination Committee or the media.

Almaalomah.me

Al-Rubaie sets a date for the start of consultations to form the next government and reveals details of the framework committees.

Former MP Ayoub Al-Rubaie set on Thursday the date for the start of official consultations regarding the formation of the next government, stressing that the coordination framework has prepared more than one special committee to accelerate the pace of the decision.

Al-Rubaie told Al-Maalouma that “the Framework Forces have formed several committees concerned with the file of forming the next government, including a committee to determine the identity of the candidates for the premiership, and another to move towards the rest of the forces, parties and currents in order to unify visions regarding the nature of the alliances that will lead to the formation of the government.”

He added that “the actual date for the start of consultations will be next week, as a series of important and intensive meetings are expected to be held in Baghdad with representatives of multiple forces,” indicating that “the signs indicate that the consultations will be more flexible and smooth, in light of broad political support to accelerate the steps to form the next government.”

Al-Rubaie pointed out that “the level of complexity in the current situation is lower compared to previous seasons, which suggests that political forces are more likely to adhere to the timelines for forming the government.”

Almaalomah.me