Nizar Amedi elected Iraq’s new president after disputed parliamentary vote
Iraq has elected the main candidate of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), Nizar Amedi, as the country’s next president following a disputed voting process that saw several blocs abstain from participating in the session.
The parliamentary session was scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. local time (0800 GMT) on Saturday but was delayed for several hours, eventually commencing when 223 legislators were present and quorum was reached.
The election proceeded to a second round after none of the contenders secured the required two-thirds majority needed to win the post.
Amedi surpassed Muthanna Amin of the rival Kurdistan Islamic Union (KIU) in the second round, securing a majority of the vote.
In January, the PUK had nominated Nizar Amedi as its candidate for the Iraqi presidency. The newly elected president is a former Iraqi environment minister.
Before voting began, incumbent President Abdul Latif Rashid withdrew from the race, stating that his decision was intended to avoid contributing to “increased polarization and weakening unity,” according to a statement from his office.
Under the Iraqi constitution, Amedi now has 15 days to task the prime ministerial nominee of the largest parliamentary bloc with forming a government.
The prime minister-designate is then required to name members of the cabinet within 30 days. Failure to do so would allow the president to appoint a replacement.
State of Law Coalition leader Nouri al-Maliki had been widely seen as the most likely candidate for the premiership following the November elections. However, US President Donald Trump threatened to withdraw support for Iraq should Maliki assume office.
The ruling Shia Coordination Framework has yet to formally withdraw Maliki’s candidacy or announce a new nominee.
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