27.01.2026 18:21
The Iraqi Parliament indefinitely postponed the presidential election session at the request of Kurdish parties. The disagreement over candidacy between the KDP and the PUK has stalled the electoral process.
The Iraqi Parliament has indefinitely postponed the presidential election session planned for today at the request of Kurdish parties.
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS IN IRAQ INDEFINITELY POSTPONED
The presidential election in Iraq has been postponed. In a statement from the office of Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi, it was reported that the election was postponed indefinitely following requests for postponement from the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK). The statement noted that the purpose of the postponement was to allow more time for the two parties to reach mutual understanding and consensus on a potential candidate.
PUK'S CLAIM FOR RIGHTS HAS LED TO A DEADLOCK
According to information from parliamentary sources, the KDP and PUK officially requested a postponement from the parliament presidency to resolve their disagreements regarding the presidential candidate and to reach a consensus on a common name.
The KDP is promoting its own candidate, Fuat Hussein, while the PUK's insistence that this position is traditionally its right has led to a political deadlock among the Kurdish factions. Due to this deep disagreement between the two parties, a new date for the session could not be determined.
19 CANDIDATES ANNOUNCED FOR THE PRESIDENCY
The postponement has once again revealed that the presidential election, one of the most critical stages in the government formation process in Iraq, has been hindered by the Kurdish parties' search for a "single candidate." According to the Iraqi Constitution, the President must be elected within 30 days at the latest from the first parliamentary session. Considering that the first session was held on December 29, 2025, the constitutional deadline expires on the night of January 28, 2026. The number of candidates, initially announced as 15, has definitively increased to 19 after the Federal Court resolved the appeals and added four more names. This position has been granted to the Kurds in Iraq since the first elections held after the overthrow of the Saddam Hussein regime.