ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Iraqi parliament will hold a session to elect the president of the republic on March 26, it was scheduled on Tuesday, meaning the anticipated election of Iraq’s president will be held over six weeks after it was postponed in early February.
A statement issued by Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi stated that it was decided to set Saturday, March 26, as the date for the parliamentary session to elect the country’s president, after the Kurdish Newroz holiday.
The Iraqi Council of Representatives released a final list of the 40 candidates for the post, which is a largely ceremonial role reserved for the Kurds. According to a statement issued by the House of Representatives, 45 candidates applied to run for the position of president, although five were excluded for failing to meet certain constitutional requirements.
Iraq held an early election on October 10. The vote was called in response to mass protests in the country beginning in October 2019, caused by widespread dissatisfaction with Iraq’s politicians and endemic corruption in the country.
According to a long-standing agreement, the three main leadership positions in the Iraqi government are divided among Kurds, Shiites, and Sunnis. Whereas Kurds get the presidency, Shiites get the premiership, and Sunnis get the parliamentary speaker.
Among the frontrunners for the role of president, therefore, are the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP)’s nomination, Rebar Ahmed, and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK)’s pick, Barham Salih, Iraq’s current president.
On February 13, the Federal Supreme Court of Iraq ruled against the nomination of the KDP’s previous candidate for the Iraqi presidency post, Hoshyar Zebari, following his temporary suspension the week before.
Influential Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, leader of the largest political bloc the Sadrist Movement, had previously backed Zebari for the presidency.
