The Iraqi Parliament has not been able to unify on electing the president within the constitutional timeframe.
The reason for this delay is the lack of agreement among Kurdish parties on a joint candidate, as well as disputes within the Shiite bloc over the issue of the prime minister. Now, all political factions are waiting for a binding decision from the Federal Court to determine a roadmap and set a new deadline for electing the president.

Request for Clarification from the Federal Court

Haibat al-Halbousi, Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament, has officially submitted a written request to the Federal Court, asking for clarification and a ruling regarding the expiration of the constitutional deadline. Halbousi wants the Court to specify the legal and constitutional mechanism for Parliament to follow so that the election process can move forward.

Purpose of the Speaker’s Request

Ghaith Raad Mohammed, a member of Parliament, announced that the purpose of the Speaker’s step is for the Federal Court to clearly outline the future steps to overcome this deadlock. He emphasized that the Court must issue a binding ruling that all parties must adhere to, in order to unify the process of electing the president.

Proposal to Present Multiple Kurdish Candidates

One of the proposals raised in Parliament is that if Kurdish parties fail to reach an agreement, two or more Kurdish candidates should be presented to Parliament. In that case, MPs would vote to select one of them for the presidency, thereby resolving the dispute.

Efforts to Bring Parties Closer Together

Suham Mousawi, a member of the Renewal and Development bloc, stated that there is still an opportunity for the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) to reach an agreement. Mousawi pointed out that within the framework of coordination, there are signs of rapprochement, and it is expected that this week the parties will participate in a parliamentary session to unify the process of electing the president.