Parliament passes law to reactivate Kurdistan Region's presidency, opens applications for candidates
The Kurdistan Parliament on Wednesday 8th May passed by a large majority a law to restore the powers and functions of the President of the Kurdistan Region, and to amend the election system for the presidency until a Kurdistan Constitution is enacted in the future. On 12th May, Parliament announced that it will accept applications for candidacy, until 11am on 15th May.
Passing the law was essential to restoring the presidency’s powers that were distributed to parliament, government, and the judiciary when President Masoud Barzani stepped down in November 2017. The powers were distributed as a temporary measure, until post- the parliamentary election of September 2018.
Eighty-nine MPs in the 111-seat legislature voted in favour of the law. MPs also voted in favour of amending the third article of the bill to give the president of the Kurdistan Region two vice-presidents, whose powers will be decided by the president. They also voted to change the presidential election method from public election to parliamentary vote with an open ballot, until a Kurdistan Region constitution is enacted.
The Kurdistan Parliament will announce the names of the candidates on 17th May. Then, parties will have three days to appeal against candidates.
