Iraqi Presidential Elections
Background:
- On October 10, 2021, Iraq held its fifth parliamentary elections since 2003. The parliamentary elections decide the 329 members of the Council of Representatives.
- Initially meant to take place in 2022, these elections were brought forward to satisfy the protesters in 2019 who took over the streets to protest rampant corruption and poor services. Many Iraqis also held the opinion that the elite had abused power to acquire monetary gains.
- On January 9, 2022, Iraq’s parliament held its first session since October’s elections. Although the session was dominated by disputes as to which Shia political bloc held the parliamentary majority, ultimately, parliament voted to re-elect Mohammed Al-Halbousi as Iraq’s official speaker.
- Halbousi was originally elected as parliamentary speaker in 2018. Prior to this role, he served as governor of the Anbar province in Western Iraq.
- Parliament was then tasked with electing Iraq’s new president within the next 30 days.
Presidential Elections:
- Iraq’s parliament approved 25 presidential candidates.
- On February 6, 2022, the Iraqi Supreme Court suspended a leading candidate, Hoshyar Zebari, from running in the presidential elections until his corruption charges from 2016 are resolved.
- Zebari has formerly held several political roles, including that of Iraq’s foreign minister, deputy prime minister, and finance minister.
- In protest to this decision, much of parliament, including Muqtada al-Sadr’s leading Shia party, boycotted the presidential elections on February 7.
- With only 58 of 329 members present, parliament could not hold the vote.
- In response to this boycott, Parliamentary speaker Mohammed Al-Halbousi reopened registration for presidential candidacy for three days, beginning on February 9.
- Besides Zebari, incumbent Barham Saleh, elected in 2018, is the other leading candidate.
- A new presidential election date has not been set.