Iraq Elects Kurdish Politician Nizar Amidi as President Amid Regional War Fallout
Iraq’s parliament elected Nizar Amidi, a senior official from the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, as the country’s new president on April 11, 2026. The vote occurred five months after parliamentary elections failed to produce a decisive majority and significantly past the constitutional deadline. Amidi secured the presidency in a second round of voting after failing to reach the required two-thirds majority in the first round, where he led with 208 votes. His election takes place against a backdrop of severe regional instability stemming from a U.S.-Israeli war on Iran. Iraq has been heavily impacted by the conflict, with Iranian-backed militias attacking U.S. facilities and energy infrastructure, prompting retaliatory airstrikes that have killed Iraqi military personnel. Additionally, Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz has halted Iraq’s crucial oil exports, crippling its economy. By political convention, the Iraqi presidency is reserved for a Kurd, while the prime minister is Shiite and the parliamentary speaker is Sunni. Amidi, an engineer from Dohuk province, previously served as an aide to former presidents Jalal Talabani and Fouad Massoum.
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Iraq Elects Kurdish Politician Nizar Amidi as President Amid Regional War Fallout
Iraq’s parliament elected Nizar Amidi, a senior official from the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, as the country’s new president on April 11, 2026. The vote occurred five months after parliamentary elections failed to produce a decisive majority and significantly past the constitutional deadline. Amidi secured the presidency in a second round of voting after failing to reach the required two-thirds majority in the first round, where he led with 208 votes. His election takes place against a backdrop of severe regional instability stemming from a U.S.-Israeli war on Iran. Iraq has been heavily impacted by the conflict, with Iranian-backed militias attacking U.S. facilities and energy infrastructure, prompting retaliatory airstrikes that have killed Iraqi military personnel. Additionally, Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz has halted Iraq’s crucial oil exports, crippling its economy. By political convention, the Iraqi presidency is reserved for a Kurd, while the prime minister is Shiite and the parliamentary speaker is Sunni. Amidi, an engineer from Dohuk province, previously served as an aide to former presidents Jalal Talabani and Fouad Massoum.
AP News