Iraq schedules April 11 session for presidential vote

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq’s Parliament Presidency has set April 11 for a session to elect the country’s president, following renewed political pressure to end a prolonged deadlock.

During an expanded meeting on Monday with the heads of parliamentary blocs, the Presidency stressed “the importance of moving forward to complete this constitutional requirement…in light of the security and economic conditions the country is currently facing.” It also urged political leaders to uphold their responsibilities in forming a government capable of addressing current challenges.

220 out of 329 members of parliament recently signed a request calling for a session next Monday to elect the president. In a letter addressed to the parliament’s Speakership, the lawmakers —representing more than two-thirds of the legislature— argued that the move “aligns with constitutional provisions and reflects current political needs.’’

Iraq’s power-sharing system allocates the presidency to a Kurd, the prime ministership to a Shiite, and the speakership to a Sunni Arab. Efforts to elect a president have repeatedly stalled due to disagreements between the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), the two main Kurdish parties, which have not agreed on a joint candidate, preventing the quorum required for a vote.

Read more: Parliament paralysis: Divisions and pressure expose Iraq’s fragile system