Iraq Parliament Set to Elect New Leader Tuesday

(MENAFN) Iraq’s parliament will meet Tuesday to choose the country’s next head of state, Speaker Haibet Al-Halbousi announced Sunday.

“This coming Tuesday will be a session to elect a president of the republic,” Halbousi said in remarks published by a state news agency.

Candidates in the Running
Lawmakers have released a slate of 19 contenders for the presidency, including current President Abdul Latif Rashid and Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein.

Political Context
The vote follows Iraq’s Nov. 11 parliamentary elections, the sixth since the 2003 U.S. invasion. Under Iraq’s power-sharing framework, the premiership is reserved for a Shiite, the presidency for a Kurd, and the parliamentary speakership for a Sunni.

Constitutional Deadline
According to the constitution, parliament must elect a president within one month of its first session, which convened on Dec. 29.

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