Politics

KDP's Iraqi presidential candidate meets with Hadi al-Amiri in Baghdad

The Kurdistan Democratic Party’s (KDP) candidate for the Iraqi presidency on Wednesday met with Hadi al-Amiri, the head of al-Fatih (Conquest) Coalition, to discuss the formation of the new government and the anticipated election of the future president.

Kosar Nawzad 2018/09/26 08:28

middle east Iraq KDP Hadi al-Amiri Baghdad President of Iraq

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Kurdistan Democratic Party’s (KDP) candidate for the Iraqi presidency on Wednesday met with Hadi al-Amiri, the head of al-Fatih (Conquest) Coalition, to discuss the formation of the new government and the anticipated election of the future president.

Amiri, who is also the head of the Iranian-backed Hashd al-Shaabi militias, received the KDP candidate, Fuad Hussein, and an accompanying delegation in his office in Baghdad.

“The meeting was part of efforts to secure the post of the presidency for our [KDP] candidate,” Shwan Mohammed Taha, director of the KDP’s office in Baghdad and present at the meeting, told Kurdistan 24. He added, “Hussein is set to visit more parties today.”

Although there are currently eight candidates for the presidency, it is likely the competition will come down to the KDP and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), which has nominated Barham Salih. The latter left the party he recently formed, the Coalition for Democracy and Justice (CDJ), to secure his nomination with the PUK.

Negotiations have intensified between the leadership of both parties and the heads of major Iraqi parties over the presidency. Concurrent with Hussein, Salih is also meeting with chief figures in Baghdad to secure his win.

“Due to the strong position of the KDP as the leading Kurdish party [in Iraq], some [parliamentary] entities welcome our party’s candidate,” Taha claimed. “Others have stressed that the Kurds should present only one candidate to avoid future internal disputes.”

He then suggested that Kurdish parliamentary factions meet ahead of the Iraqi legislative session to elect a new president to reach a consensus on a single candidate for the position.

Lawmakers were set to gather on Tuesday to elect a president among the Kurdish candidates brought forth by various parties. However, parliament changed their schedule a week earlier, issuing a reminder that the constitutional deadline is on Oct. 02.

Editing by Nadia Riva