Iraqi MP Mahmoud Shakir Al Salami dies in Parliament

The cause of his death is not yet known

Iraq's Parliament on October 27 during a confidence vote in which MPs approved the new government after a year-long crisis triggered by contested elections. Photo: Iraqi Parliament media office

A Shiite politician died on Wednesday while inside the Parliament building.

Mahmoud Shakir Al Salami, a member of the State of Law Coalition established and led by former prime minister Nouri Al Maliki, was from the southern governorate of Thi Qar.

Mr Al Salami’s health condition deteriorated while he was holding regular meetings inside the parliament building, the Coalition said.

He was later transferred to Ibin Sina hospital inside the Green Zone where he was pronounced dead.

The cause of his death is so far unknown.

Parliament Speaker Mohammed Al Halbousi expressed his sincere condolences to his family.

Iraq held early national elections in October last year, the fifth parliamentary vote for a full-term government since the 2003 US-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein.

But political wrangling over forming a new government has delayed Parliament's sessions. Sessions only resumed last month, to elect the country’s new President and approve the new government.

The State of Law is part of the Co-ordination Framework, the largest political group in parliament and an umbrella bloc of Shiite parties united mostly by their opposition to the Sadrist movement, which controls 138 of 329 seats.

The late MP was among several politicians from Thi Qar province who met Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani and discussed a number of issues, including the water shortage in the province.

Post-election rivalry