Iraq’s Deputy Speaker warns Saturday's presidential vote could backfire

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraqi parliament's Second Deputy Speaker Farhad Atrushi objected Friday to proceeding with Saturday's presidential election session, warning that holding the vote without broader political consensus could deepen divisions.

"Political forces still need further dialogue and understandings to reach a widely accepted candidate," Atrushi said in a statement, adding that the dispute extended beyond the presidency to the prime ministerial post — on which he said political forces had the right to know the candidate's name and weigh in before a vote. He framed his objection as driven by concern for "the stability of the political process and the democratic path."

His remarks came despite major blocs confirming full attendance at the Saturday session, among them the National State Forces Alliance led by Ammar al-Hakim, the Taqaddum Party led by Mohammed al-Halbousi, and the Reconstruction and Development bloc backed by caretaker Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani. Atrushi's own Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) has not issued a final position, conditioning its participation on reaching a broader political agreement.

The session is set against a backdrop of two interlocking crises. On the Kurdish side, the KDP first fielded Fuad Hussein then Nozad Hadi, who later withdrew, while the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) held firm on Nizar Amedi before signaling a possible understanding on his candidacy. On the Shiite side, the Coordination Framework nominated Nouri al-Maliki, only to see his candidacy hit open US opposition and internal divisions that split the framework between supporters, opponents, and fence-sitters, leaving both files unresolved.

Iraq passed the constitutional 30-day deadline for electing a president by 70 days, with 148 days elapsed since the November 2025 elections and no new government formed.