Nomination door reopens for Iraqi president position

  2022-02-08 16:18      102 View Count        Comment

Iraq’s parliament announced Tuesday the reopening of registration for presidential candidates, a day after it called off a session to vote in a new head of state.

One of the two frontrunners, former longtime foreign minister Hoshyar Zebari, was “temporarily” suspended by a court, citing years-old corruption accusations after a complaint was filed against him.

His eligibility for the post is being reviewed, with his party announcing it is sticking with his candidacy and that a verdict is expected within days.

Iraq’s political timeline for electing a head of state and forming a government, in the wake of last year’s general election, has been derailed amid political infighting.

Monday’s voting session was not held due to lack of a quorum after several key political blocs and parties announced boycotts, against the backdrop of competing claims to a parliamentary majority.

The office of parliament speaker Mohamed al-Halbussi announced on Tuesday the “reopening of registration for candidates for the post of president of the republic from Wednesday, February 9 and for a period of three days.”

But a date has yet to be announced for a new voting session in parliament.

Only 58 MPs attended Monday’s session - well below the quorum of two thirds of the 329-seat chamber.

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