Spotlight shifts to Sunni blocs as parliament nears choosing new speaker

The government formation process formally moved into its next phase on Tuesday after President Latif Rashid issued a decree calling on the newly elected parliament to convene its first session by December 29. The move follows the Federal Supreme Court’s decision on Sunday to ratify the results of the parliamentary elections, ending weeks of legal procedures and clearing the way for constitutional timelines to begin.

The court’s ruling came after nearly four weeks of deliberations by the Electoral Judicial Panel, which reviewed around 850 individual appeals related to the election results and the conduct of the vote. With those appeals resolved, the Supreme Court certified the final results in line with the constitution, triggering a series of mandatory steps that govern the formation of the next government. Under these provisions, parliament is required to convene within 15 days of certification to hold its first session, during which it must elect a speaker and two deputies.