Iraq postpones Presidential vote, delays govt formation

Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council on Thursday stressed the need to adhere strictly to constitutional deadlines for appointing the country’s president and prime minister, warning that any delays or foreign interference could undermine political stability and the democratic process. In a statement issued after its first session in 2026,  the council emphasized the importance of completing the procedures for selecting the heads of the executive branch within the timeframes set out in the constitution. The council called on all political parties and blocs to respect the constitutional calendar, saying that failure to do so would negatively affect political stability and the orderly functioning of Iraq’s democratic institutions. It also underscored the necessity of preventing any external interference in the country’s internal affairs. 
The statement came days after the Iraqi parliament postponed a session scheduled to elect a new president, following a request by the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, who sought additional time to reach consensus on a candidate. The session was delayed to an unspecified date.Under Iraq’s constitutional process, once a president is elected, he is required to nominate the candidate of the largest parliamentary bloc to form a government within 15 days.
Iraq’s power-sharing system allocates the presidency to a Kurd, the premiership to a Shiite and the speakership of parliament to a Sunni. Parliament elected Sunni lawmaker Mohammed al-Halbousi as speaker on Dec. 29. According to constitutional timelines, parliament must elect a president within one month of its first session, a deadline that expires at the end of January.
Iraq held parliamentary elections on Nov. 11, 2025, with voter turnout reaching 56.11%. The newly elected lawmakers are tasked with choosing the president and approving the next government. Tensions over the government formation have drawn international attention. On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump urged Iraq to refrain from appointing Maliki as prime minister, a call Maliki rejected as “blatant interference” in Iraq’s internal affairs