Iraq opens three-day window for presidential nominations

BAGHDAD – Parliament Speaker Haibat al-Halbousi on Tuesday announced the opening of nominations for the position of president of the republic, setting a three-day period for applications as Iraq moves ahead with constitutional steps to form a new government.

Halbousi made the announcement during the first session of the newly convened Council of Representatives, which on Monday elected him speaker with 208 votes, defeating Salem al-Issawi and Amer Abdul Jabbar. Lawmakers also elected Adnan Fayhan of the Sadiqun bloc as first deputy speaker and Farhad Atrushi of the Kurdistan Democratic Party as second deputy speaker.

The presidency, largely ceremonial but politically pivotal in Iraq’s government-formation process, has been held since 2003 by figures closely linked to the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan. Past presidents include Jalal Talabani, Fuad Masum and Barham Salih. President Abdul Latif Jamal Rashid has held the post since 2022.

The nomination process comes amid renewed debate among Kurdish parties over how to choose their candidate. In a statement Monday, KDP leader Masoud Barzani called for changing the mechanism used to select a Kurdish nominee, urging a unified Kurdish stance and arguing that the presidency should be treated as a Kurdish entitlement rather than the preserve of any single party.

During the session, the Coordination Framework, the Shia alliance that led the formation of Iraq’s current government, also declared itself the largest bloc in parliament, a designation that positions it to nominate the next prime minister.

Halbousi adjourned the session until Jan. 5.