Iraq’s Supreme Court Rules 2nd Nomination For President Unconstitutional

(Bas News)

Creating Iraq’s next government hit another road bump. This involved the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) nominating Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Interior Minister Rebar Ahmed for president. He was named after the KDP’s Hoshyar Zebari was turned down in court because he’d previously been dismissed as the Foreign Minister on corruption charges. Another lawsuit was filed claiming that nominating Ahmed was done illegally. The Federal Supreme Court agreed with that claim.

 

Electing the president now goes back to parliament. The Supreme Court said that the legislative body can restart the process.

 

It’s now entering the fifth month since elections were held and only Speaker of Parliament Mohammed al-Halbusi has been re-elected. Opponents of Moqtada al-Sadr who is in the lead in creating a new government have been going to court over and over again to drag things out while they try to outmaneuver him. So far that has been fruitless. They have no other means to influence events other than violence which they have also resorted to. As a result, it could be months more before any meaningful progress is made.

 

Iraq Govt Formation Process Since 2005

 

Jan 05 Elections - PM Jaafari 3 months to be seated

Mar 2010 Elections - PM Maliki 9 months to be seated

Apr 2014 Elections – PM Abadi 5 months to be seated

May 2018 Elections – PM Abdul Mahdi 4 months to be seated

Oct 2021 Elections – 4 months only Speaker of Parliament seated

 

SOURCES

 

Bas News, “Iraqi Federal Court Says Second Round of Presidential Candidate Registration “Unconstitutional,”” 3/1/22

 

Al Hurra, “A new name in the race for the presidency of Iraq .. The Democratic candidate may face a legal problem,” 2/15/22

 

Mahmoud, Sinan, “Iraq’s supreme court rules against reopening registration for presidential nominates,” The National, 3/1/22

 

Al Mirbad, “The Federal Court rules that the decision of the Presidency of Parliament to reopen the nomination for the Presidency of the Republic is unconstitutional,” 3/1/22