Iraqi Presidency is PUK's Share, PUK Lawmaker Reaffirms

Iraqi parliament's media office

A previous session of the Iraqi parliament.

The Iraqi Parliament is scheduled to convene on Saturday, 1 February 2026, to elect the President of the Republic. A member of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) parliamentary bloc has stressed that the presidency is a constitutional entitlement of the Kurds and, within the Kurdish political framework, of the PUK.

PUK Lawmaker Srwa Mohammed told PUKMEDIA that, according to the parliamentary agenda, the session would be dedicated to electing the President of the Republic. She reaffirmed that Nizar Amedi is the PUK’s sole candidate for the position.

She added that the ruling Coordination Framework is due to hold another meeting to discuss candidates for both the presidency and the post of prime minister. Mohammed noted that the Framework has already decided on its nominee for prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, emphasising that the priority is for any candidate assuming office to be capable of guiding Iraq out of its current crises.

Mohammed explained that consultations among Iraqi political forces regarding the selection of candidates for the two senior positions are still ongoing. She noted that once the presidency is decided, the process of finalising the premiership must also be completed.

She further clarified that political convention in Iraq dictates that the presidency be allocated to the Kurds and, within the Kurdish political arena, to the PUK, while the post of prime minister is traditionally allocated to the Shia component.

The statement comes after the parliamentary session to elect the president, originally scheduled for last Tuesday, was postponed by the Speaker of Parliament to allow additional time for political parties to reach an agreement. The PUK has reiterated that Nizar Amedi remains its sole candidate and is considered the leading contender among the nominees.



PUKMEDIA