Iraq's parliament elects a new speaker to face political and financial challenges

BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraq's parliament on Monday elected a new speaker following overnight talks to break a political deadlock.

Haibet Al-Halbousi received 208 votes from the 309 legislators who attended. He is a member of the Takadum, or Progress, party led by ousted speaker and relative Mohammed al-Halbousi. Twenty legislators did not attend the session.

Iraq has been walking a tightrope to maintain close ties with the United States and neighboring Iran as tensions continue in the Middle East.

Iraq held parliamentary elections in November but didn’t produce a bloc with a decisive majority. By convention, Iraq’s president is always Kurdish, while the more powerful prime minister is Shiite and the parliamentary speaker is Sunni.

The new speaker must address a much-debated bill that would have the Hashd al-Shaabi, or Popular Mobilization Units — an umbrella group of Iraqi Shiite militias largely backed by Iran — become a formal security institution under the state. Iran-backed armed groups have growing political influence.

Al-Halbousi also must tackle Iraq’s mounting public debt of tens of billions of dollars as well as widespread corruption.

Babel Governor Adnan Feyhan was elected first deputy speaker with 177 votes, a development that might concern Washington. Feyhan is a member of the Asaib Ahl al-Haq, or League of the Righteous, a U.S.-sanctioned, Iran-backed Shiite group with an armed wing led by Qais al-Khazali, also sanctioned by Washington.

Associated Press journalist Kareem Chehayeb in Beirut contributed to this report.

Newly elected lawmakers attend the first parliament session, in Baghdad, Iraq, Monday, Dec. 29, 2025. (Iraqi Parliament Media Office via AP)

The new speaker of parliament Haibet Al-Halbousi, center, looks on before the start of their first legislative session in Baghdad, Iraq, Monday, Dec. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban)

Newly elected lawmakers attend the first parliament session, in Baghdad, Iraq, Monday, Dec. 29, 2025. (Iraqi Parliament Media Office via AP)

Members of the new Iraqi Parliament are seen before the start of their first legislative session in Baghdad, Iraq, Monday, Dec. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban)

Two goals from Igor Matanovic were not enough to stop Europa League finalist Freiburg losing 3-2 at Hamburger SV in the Bundesliga on Sunday.

Bakery Jatta opened the scoring for Hamburg when he was left unmarked but Matanovic soon leveled for Freiburg. Goals from Luka Vušković and Fabio Baldé put Hamburg back in control in the second half and Matanović's 87th-minute header proved only a consolation goal for Freiburg.

The loss is a blow to seventh-place Freiburg's hopes of qualifying for the Conference League via the Bundesliga. Freiburg could yet end up in the Champions League with a win over Aston Villa in the final of the Europa League on May 20. Hamburg moves up a place to 11th.

Later Sunday, last-place Heidenheim takes on Cologne needing at least a point to keep its hopes of avoiding relegation.

Heidenheim coach Frank Schmidt has been in charge for 19 years, overseeing promotion from the regional fourth tier and even a European campaign in the Conference League last season. He has yet to experience relegation.

The bottom two teams are relegated automatically and the team in 16th faces a two-leg promotion-relegation playoff against a team from the second division.

Also Sunday, pioneering coach Marie-Louise Eta and her Union Berlin team take on Mainz. Union remains winless as Eta heads into her fourth game in charge as the first female head coach in Europe's top five major men's leagues. Union, which is safe from relegation, is aiming to build on a draw last week against Cologne.

Eta's five-game interim head coach stint is due to end next week when Union hosts Augsburg in its last game of the season. She has already agreed to take charge of the Union women's team for next season.

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Hamburger's Luka Vuskovic, centre, celebrates with Nicolai Remberg, second from left, and Nicolas Capaldo after scoring his side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Hamburger SV and Sport-Club Freiburg in Hamburg, Germany, Sunday, May 10, 2026. (Marcus Brandt/dpa via AP)