Summary
Iraq's parliament has elected Nizar Amedi as the new president, ending a political stalemate. He was nominated by the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan and won against his competitor, Muthanna Amin Nader. Amedi now has the task of working with Iraq's government branches to overcome challenges facing the country.
Key Facts
- Nizar Amedi has been elected as Iraq's new president.
- He received 227 votes, while his opponent, Muthanna Amin Nader, got 15 votes.
- Amedi was nominated by the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK).
- He is Iraq's sixth president since Saddam Hussein's removal in 2003.
- Amedi has 15 days to task the nominee of the largest parliamentary bloc to form a cabinet.
- Under Iraq's sectarian power-sharing, the prime minister must be a Shia Muslim.
- The Coordination Framework, a group of Iran-aligned parties, plans to nominate Nouri al-Maliki for prime minister.
- President Trump threatened to withdraw U.S. support if al-Maliki forms a government.
