Iraqi Parliament reopens door for presidential candidacy

Baghdad, March 6 The Iraqi Parliament or Council of Representatives has voted to reopen the nomination for the post of President of the country.

A statement by Parliament said that 203 lawmakers voted in favour of opening the candidacy, while 62 deputies abstained, reports Xinhua news agency.

The decision came after the Federal Supreme Court ruled that the reopening decision for nomination might be valid if it was made through the legislative body instead of the speaker.

Parliament had previously scheduled February 7 as the date for electing the President.

However, only 58 lawmakers attended the session, well below the quorum of two-thirds of the 329-seat chamber.

A day later, the parliamentary speaker announced the reopening of registration for presidential candidates.

On October 10, 2021, Iraq held the parliamentary election, where Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr's Sadrist Movement emerged as the biggest winner with 73 out of the 329 seats.

Under Iraq's power-sharing system, the President should be an ethnic Kurd, the Prime Minister a Shia, and Parliament Speaker a Sunni.

Once elected, the new President will ask the largest parliamentary bloc to name a Prime Minister-designate to form a government within 30 days.

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