Iraq Elects Nizar Amidi as New President

The parliament in Iraq elected Kurdish politician Nizar Amidi as the new president of the republic today, Saturday, following the parliamentary elections that took place last November.

The position of the president of the republic in Iraq is largely a ceremonial one, within a political system that is based on power-sharing among the main components of the country.

According to this system, sovereign positions are distributed based on sectarian balances, where the prime minister is from the Shia sect, the speaker of parliament is from the Sunni sect, while the presidency is traditionally assigned to a Kurdish figure.

Amidi's election comes in the context of a new political phase, as Iraqi political forces seek to stabilize institutions after the recent elections, amid ongoing internal and regional challenges.