Iraq’s April 11 presidential vote: Who will attend?
Shafaq News- Baghdad
Iraqi political blocs intensified efforts on Friday to secure full attendance at tomorrow’s parliamentary session to elect a president, urging an end to delays that have prolonged the country’s political deadlock.
The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) called for holding the session as scheduled, stressing that the presidential file has taken “sufficient time” and should no longer be delayed. In a statement, the bloc said the lack of consensus should not justify suspending constitutional obligations, describing their completion as essential to activating state institutions and ensuring political and economic stability, while cautioning that continued delay disrupts government functions and leads to mounting economic and service challenges.
The Iraqi Turkmen Front confirmed its participation, with its parliamentary leader Arshad al-Salihi rejecting the ongoing stalemate and expressing hope for consensus, particularly between Kurdish and Shiite forces. He described the current phase as “sensitive and dangerous,” urging the formation of a government that represents all components and moves beyond traditional quota-based arrangements.
ككتلة جبهة تركمان العراق الموحد سنشارك في جلسة يوم السبت لانتخاب رئاسة الجمهورية ، وعدم السماح ببقاء الانسداد السياسي مستمرا ، ونأمل من حصول التوافق الكردي الكردي والشيعي الشيعي ، فالبلد والشعب في اخطر مراحله التاريخيه ، وعلى الحكومة العراقية القادمة ، ان تشكل نظاما سياسيا جديدا…
— Erşat Salihi - أرشد الصالحي (@Ersatsalihi) April 10, 2026
The Reconstruction and Development (Al-Ima’ar wal Tanmiya) Coalition, led by caretaker Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, confirmed it will attend the session, stressing that electing a president is a constitutional entitlement that “cannot tolerate further delay,” and calling on political forces to uphold their national responsibilities, “in fulfillment of commitments to the people and to safeguard the democratic process from any constitutional vacuum.”
Meanwhile, the Sadiqoun bloc —the political wing of Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq— emphasized its readiness to “translate constitutional obligations into action” under the parliament dome and push forward with the vote without further delay.
Read more: Government Formation: Constitution that cannot enforce its own deadlines
The National State Forces Alliance led by Ammar al-Hakim and the Taqaddum Party headed by Mohammed al-Halbousi had previously committed to full attendance, while Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) leader Masoud Barzani rejected attempts to proceed with the vote without agreement on a prime minister, describing such efforts as “unacceptable” and insisting that both positions must be resolved in parallel.
Parliament is scheduled to convene on April 11 to elect a president, a prerequisite for naming a prime minister under Iraq’s post-2003 power-sharing system, which allocates the presidency to a Kurd, the premiership to a Shiite, and the speakership to a Sunni Arab. The process has stalled due to disputes between the KDP and the PUK over a joint candidate, alongside divisions within the Coordination Framework (CF) —the largest parliamentary bloc with more than 185 seats— which nominated former prime minister Nouri al-Maliki but remains split over his candidacy amid US opposition.
Read more: Iraq PM race stuck between largest bloc dispute and US pressure
Iraq has exceeded the constitutional 30-day deadline to elect a president by more than two months, with 148 days passed since the November 2025 elections and no government formed.
