Baghdad, January 13 (QNA) - The Iraqi political arena is witnessing intense political activity and ongoing consultations among parliamentary blocs in a scramble to reach a consensus on naming the new President of the Republic, amid sharp political competition and constitutional and political complexities surrounding this electoral entitlement.
This comes despite the closure of the nomination period for the post, after 81 candidates from various political and social components, including four women, advanced their nominations, amid the persistence of the political norm that traditionally assigns the presidency to the Kurdish forces.
The Kurdish political sphere is witnessing a scramble between the Kurdistan Democratic Party and its historical rival, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, to clinch the presidency.
The Kurdistan Democratic Party announced the nomination of Fuad Hussein, Minister of Foreign Affairs in the current caretaker government, and Nawzad Hadi, former Governor of Erbil, for the post, while the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan announced the nomination of Nizar Amedi, former Minister of Environment.
Ghalib Al Duaimi, an Iraqi academic and political analyst, told Qatar News Agency (QNA) that offering the chance for a record number of aspirants is a positive step, but the reality is that the winning candidate will only be among those subject to the will of the major parties within Parliament.
He added that the constitutional process is ongoing, yet the real decision remains in the hands of the political elite, not civil society or voters directly.
The Kurdish forces are still conducting intensive consultations to select a unified candidate for the presidency, because this post is viewed as a traditional entitlement for the Kurdish forces under the political quota norm, he noted.
According to the Iraqi Constitution, Parliament elects the President of the Republic by a two‑thirds majority of its members within 30 days after the first parliamentary session, and the President must then assign a Prime Minister within 15 days from the date of his election.
Legal expert Ali Hussein Al Burki affirmed to QNA that the constitutional term for electing the President is a regulatory description and does not constitute a forfeiture of the constitutional right if exceeded.
He added that exceeding the stipulated period does not necessarily amount to a constitutional violation, as the Speaker of the Council of Representatives can set a new election date without breaching the Constitution.
For his part, Saad Al Tubi, a former member of the Iraqi Parliament, said that the dilemma of the presidency in Iraq is not confined to the Kurdish political milieu, but is part of a broader crisis affecting other political blocs, noting that the Coordination Framework alliance wants to hasten the selection of the President in order to move ahead with resolving the files of the new Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers that will serve with him.
The political norm designates the presidency for Kurds generally, not for a specific party, which necessitates reaching a new Kurdish agreement that opens the door for competition among various Kurdish political forces, Al Tubi said, affirming that what is happening is not just a political impasse, but represents a healthy phenomenon within the Iraqi democratic experience.
Iraq typically witnesses political mobilization and complexities that prolong consensus on nominees for senior positions, while entrenched political disagreements hinder compliance with constitutional deadlines.
The Iraqi Constitution stipulates electing the President of the Republic by a two‑thirds majority of Parliament members -i.e., 220 votes -within 30 days of the first session, which was held on Dec. 29. However, if Parliament cannot decide in the first round, the vote is repeated between the two candidates who received the highest votes in the first round, and the candidate who obtains the highest number of votes in the second round is considered the winner, regardless of the number of votes obtained.
Upon electing the President of the Republic, the new President assigns the candidate of the largest parliamentary bloc to form the government, who then presents his cabinet program within a maximum of 30 days, paving the way for a confidence vote, so the government may begin its work with full constitutional powers, while Parliament begins its oversight and legislative role. (QNA)