KDP refuses to deal with  newly elected Iraqi president

The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) announced on Saturday evening its refusal to recognize the election of Nizar Amidi as President of Iraq, directing its members of parliament and ministers in the federal government to return to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq for consultations on the next steps.

In an official statement, the party explained that the presidential election session took place, as it put it, "outside the framework of the approved internal regulations," considering that the Speaker of Parliament set the agenda without adhering to the laws, which it described as a "clear violation."

The statement indicated that the presidential candidate "was not part of the Kurdish mechanism," emphasizing that the position represents "a right for the entire Kurdish people, not just one party," noting that his nomination was made by a single political entity and endorsed by other Iraqi forces.

The party concluded its position by stressing that it does not recognize the mechanism by which the elections were conducted and that it "will not deal with the elected president in this manner," asserting that what transpired does not represent the collective will of the Kurdish people.

The Iraqi parliament elected Nizar Amidi as president yesterday in the second round of voting.

The second round of voting was held with a quorum of 249 members of parliament. Amidi received 227 votes, while Muthanna Amin received 15.

The election session came after political controversy and disagreements that began after the elections in October 2015, and was boycotted by some blocs, most notably the Law State Coalition, the Rights Coalition, and the Kurdistan Democratic Party.

Sh-S

ANHA