BAGHDAD: Political consensus remains a significant hurdle in the selection of a candidate for the position of Speaker of Iraq's Parliament, despite calls from the Coordination Framework to settle the matter. The Parliamentary Legal Committee announced that the lack of agreement among political factions could delay the decision, even as a parliamentary session scheduled for Saturday looms. According to National Iraqi News Agency, the Deputy Head of the Parliamentary Legal Committee, Mohammed Anouz, highlighted the pressure from the Coordination Framework on Sunni political blocs to decide on a candidate. The State of Law Coalition, along with some allied blocs, has expressed support for candidate Mahmoud Al-Mashhadani. However, this choice is contested by several Sunni blocs, which perceive it as an imposition of will. Anouz noted that Saturday's parliamentary session could be pivotal if a legal quorum is achieved. A consensus on one of the four proposed candidates-Salem Al-Issawi, Talal Al-Zubaie, Amer Abdu l-Jabbar, and Mahmoud Al-Mashhadani-could lead to a decision. Currently, Al-Mashhadani and Al-Issawi are seen as the leading candidates, but the overarching need for political agreement complicates the matter. The Coordination Framework convened a regular meeting last Monday, attended by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and hosted by the head of the Hikma Movement, Ammar al-Hakim. The meeting concluded with a call for Parliament to convene on Saturday to resolve the leadership issue. However, without consensus, the possibility of amending the House of Representatives law to include additional candidates remains open.