UPDATE 2 – Iraq's top court says has no authority to dissolve Parliament

UPDATES WITH MORE DETAILS

BAGHDAD (AA) – Iraq’s Federal Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled that it does not have the constitutional authority to dissolve Parliament.

In a statement, the court said its jurisdiction does not include the dissolution of the House of Representatives (parliament).

“The 2005 Constitution of the Republic of Iraq did not ignore the rules governing the dissolution of Parliament,” it said, referring to Article 64, which stipulates an absolute majority of lawmakers to vote in favor of dissolution, or upon the request of one-third of its members by the prime minister with the president's consent.

“The stability of the political process in Iraq requires all to abide by the rules of the Constitution,” the court said.

Wednesday’s ruling was issued during a session to look into a lawsuit filed by lawmakers affiliated with influential Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr to demand the dissolution of Parliament over the failure to elect a new president and form government.

Tension has been running high across Iraq in recent weeks as rival Iraqi groups failed to agree on a new prime minister since the country’s last elections on Oct. 10, 2021.

More than 30 protesters were killed last week when supporters of al-Sadr stormed the Republican Palace, where the government is seated in Baghdad after the firebrand leader said he was stepping down from politics.

*Ikram Imane Kouachi and Ahmed Asmar contributed to this report