Number of candidates for the Iraqi presidency reaches 60

"The parliament session for electing the president hasn't been scheduled yet."

Dler S. Mohammed 2022/02/15 10:49

Al-Salam Palace, the residence of Iraq's president. (Photo: Kurdistan 24)

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ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Iraqi Parliament on Monday revealed that 60 candidates have been nominated for Iraq's presidency.

Following parliament's reopening of the door for candidates, the number nominated by political parties for the presidency rose to 60, parliament secretary Bayda'a Khidir told the Iraqi News Agency.

"The legal committee of the parliament and another special committee formed for this purpose will check the candidates' names and background," Khidir said. "Then the list of the candidates will be sent to the board of integrity, and from there to the Iraqi Supreme Judicial Council."

Khidir pointed out that the parliament session for electing the president hasn't been scheduled yet.

The Iraqi Parliament on Feb. 8 opened the door again for political parties to nominate new candidates for the Iraqi presidency.

The decision, which came in a letter signed by the Speaker of Parliament Mohammed Al-Halbousi, had set three days (Wednesday through Friday) last week as a period during which the political parties can nominate new presidential candidates.

The Iraqi Parliament was supposed to convene on Feb. 7 to elect a new president but couldn't do so because the quorum wasn't reached.

The first round of receiving candidates' names by the Parliament was in January. On Jan. 31, the Iraqi Parliament announced the names of the approved candidates for Iraq's presidency. At that time, there were 25 candidates, including ten Kurds.