Iraqi parliament postpones presidential vote amid quorum failure and Kurdish divisions

On Tuesday, Iraq's parliament postponed the presidential election session after failing to reach a quorum due to low attendance and ongoing disagreements among Kurdish parties. This delay increases uncertainty over forming a new federal government.

The constitution requires at least 222 of 329 lawmakers to be present to elect a president. Only 85 attended, well below the threshold.

Parliament Speaker Haibat al-Halbousi postponed the session, citing the lack of quorum and formal requests from the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) for more time to negotiate a presidential agreement.

The parliament's media office said, "Speaker of Parliament Haibat al-Halbousi postponed the presidential election session due to the lack of quorum, as only 85 MPs attended. Additionally, he received requests from the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan to delay the session and allow more time for understanding and agreement between the two parties."

Parliamentary sources indicated that lawmakers may schedule a new session in the coming days if the Kurdish blocs reach a consensus.

While the presidency is largely ceremonial, the president ratifies legislation and appoints the nominee from the largest parliamentary bloc to form a government, holding significant constitutional authority.

Ongoing disputes between the KDP and PUK have repeatedly delayed presidential elections, as both parties continue to compete for the position, reflecting their longstanding rivalry.

The constitutional deadline to elect a president is Wednesday, 28 January. Missing this deadline could create a constitutional breach and further prolong Iraq's political paralysis.

If no candidate secures a two-thirds majority in the first round, lawmakers hold a second round between the top two contenders, where a simple majority determines the winner.

Under Iraq's post-2003 power-sharing arrangement, lawmakers reserve the presidency for a Kurdish politician. Once elected, the president has 15 days to appoint a prime minister, whom the largest Shia bloc typically nominates.

Iraq's main Shia alliance, which holds a parliamentary majority, endorsed on Saturday former prime minister and powerbroker Nouri al-Maliki as the country's next premier.

The nomination effectively guarantees Maliki, 75, the post that he last held more than a decade ago.

This delay occurs as Iraqi leaders negotiate the formation of Iraq's next government. Analysts warn that a prolonged deadlock could further undermine governance in Baghdad.

Who are the presidential candidates?

Nizar Amidi (Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, PUK): Nizar Amidi, former environment minister, was born in Duhok in 1968. He holds an engineering degree and serves on the PUK Leadership Council. He has also been chief of staff to prior Iraqi presidents.

Abdul Latif Jamal Rashid (Incumbent): Abdul Latif Jamal Rashid, born in Sulaimaniyah in 1944, has served as the minister of water resources and as a presidential adviser. He holds UK engineering degrees and is trilingual.

Khalid Shwani (Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, PUK): Khalid Shwani, born in 1975, is Iraq’s justice minister and a former parliamentarian. He holds advanced law degrees and led the legislature’s legal committee.

Fuad Hussein (Kurdistan Democratic Party, KDP): Fuad Hussein, Iraq's foreign minister since 2020, was previously deputy prime minister and presidential chief of staff in the Kurdistan Region. Born in Khanaqin in 1949, he studied in Iraq and the Netherlands and speaks several languages.

Independent candidates

Kurdish opposition blocs have also entered the race.

The Kurdistan Islamic Union (KIU), an opposition party, has nominated Muthanna Amin, with the support of Ali Hama Saleh, leader of the National Stance Movement, also an opposition party. Amin, a sitting MP and senior KIU figure, has argued that while the presidency is a Kurdish entitlement, it should not be monopolised by the KDP or PUK.

Amin holds a master's and a PhD in Islamic philosophy, as well as a master's degree and a higher diploma in political science with a specialisation in international relations. He was a university lecturer at the University of Sulaimaniyah before devoting himself full-time to his role as head of the Kurdistan Islamic Union's parliamentary bloc in the Iraqi Council of Representatives from 2014 to 2018. In addition to Kurdish, he is fluent in Arabic and also speaks English.

Other candidates include former Iraqi lawmaker and journalist Shwan Dawdi, who is not affiliated with the main Kurdish parties, and Sardar Abdulla, a former Kurdish MP, politician, and writer.