Former Gorran Movement MP nominates himself for Iraqi presidency

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – A former Gorran (Change) Movement member of the Iraqi Parliament has announced his candidacy as Iraq’s next president, calling for support from the people and political parties in the Kurdistan Region.

Sardar Abdulla, an independent politician and former head of Gorran in Iraq’s Parliament, revealed on Monday his intention to run for the Iraqi presidency, a traditionally Kurdish-held post.

“I nominate myself and call on the Kurdish political parties to support me to get the position,” Abdulla said in an exclusive interview with Kurdistan 24 on Monday.

“The Iraqi presidency is an important post with constitutional powers,” he added. “It can prevent the monopoly of power by the prime minister and the violation of the Kurdistan Region’s rights by putting a limit on the Council of Ministers.”

Abdulla, who was an MP between 2010 and 2014, also called on other Kurdish candidates running for the presidency to support him. He resigned from the Gorran Movement in 2016 after issues with the party’s leadership at the time.

The Kurdish factions have yet to finalize their candidates for the Iraqi president’s post.

The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), who has held the position since 2005, has so far been unable to pick a nominee for the post because of internal party issues.

Meanwhile, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) has recently stated that based on the results of the May 12 parliamentary elections, the Iraqi president post should be awarded to them, or at least a candidate that has the party’s consent.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany