Baghdad, Iraq – Nawzad Hadi, a member of the Kurdistan Democratic Party’s (KDP) political bureau, announced his official withdrawal from the race for the Iraqi presidency on Saturday.
In an official statement, Hadi confirmed that his decision was in accordance with the directives of the Kurdish leadership and in support of the party’s unity behind its official candidate, current Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein. Hadi explained that his initial nomination for the position was a source of “pride and honor” due to the party’s confidence in him, noting that his withdrawal was “in the interest of the greater good” and to allow the party to focus its efforts on supporting its primary candidate.
This withdrawal comes amidst a complex constitutional landscape, as the list of candidates has shrunk considerably. The parliament’s leadership initially announced 15 names, but the Federal Court subsequently reinstated four more following appeals, leaving the list at 19. Parliamentary sources revealed that the parliament intends to hold a session to elect the president this week, given the constitutional deadline which is pressuring MPs to resolve the matter before the end of January. The elected president is expected to task the nominee of the largest bloc with forming the new government within 15 days of assuming office, according to the Iraqi constitution.
