Iraq Elects Nizar Amidi as New President

Iraq's parliament elected Nizar Amidi, a senior official from the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, as the country's new president on Saturday, marking a key step toward resolving a prolonged political deadlock five months after national elections failed to yield a clear majority bloc.

The vote, held in Baghdad, came more than two months after the constitutional deadline, which mandates electing a president within 30 days of a new parliament's first session. Amidi, 58, secured the largely ceremonial position after two rounds of balloting among 16 candidates. In the initial round, no one reached the required two-thirds majority, but Amidi led with 208 votes, far ahead of runner-up Muthanna Amin Nader, a lawmaker from the Kurdistan Islamic Union, who received 17. The second round, decided by simple plurality, saw Amidi win 227 votes to Nader's 15.

Amidi, an engineer born in the northern Dohuk province, has a background in Kurdish politics. He previously served as an aide to former presidents Jalal Talabani and Fouad Masum, held the post of environment minister, and has led the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan's political office in Baghdad since 2024. His main rival included Fuad Hussein,...