Iraq Elects Nizar Amidi as President, Ending Five-Month Political Deadlock

On 11/04/2026, Iraq’s Parliament elected Nizar Amidi as the country’s new President, bringing an end to a five-month political stalemate that followed the general elections held in November 2025. The vote marked a key step in restoring the formation of Iraq’s federal government after prolonged delays in reaching consensus among political factions. The presidential election was conducted in two rounds, as no candidate achieved the required two-thirds majority of 220 votes in the initial ballot. In the first round, Nizar Amidi, representing the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), received 208 votes, placing him well ahead of his closest rival, independent candidate Muthanna Amin Nader, who secured 17 votes. Despite leading comfortably, Amidi fell short of the threshold needed for an outright victory in the first round. A second round of voting was subsequently held among lawmakers present in the session. In this decisive round, Amidi won 227 votes out of 249 cast, securing the presidency with a clear majority. The outcome confirmed his position as Iraq’s sixth president since 2003, succeeding Abdul Latif Rashid. The election resolved months of political uncertainty that had delayed the formation of key government institutions. The extended deadlock had reflected divisions among Iraq’s political blocs, particularly over power-sharing arrangements and leadership positions. With the presidency filled, the process of forming the remaining branches of government was expected to move forward under the country’s constitutional framework.