Iraqi citizens apply to be president in challenge to post-Saddam political system

Critics say current set-up fails to address unemployment, poor public services and widespread corruption

Iraqi policemen join the queue to vote in the November election at a polling station in Baghdad. EPA

Some Iraqi citizens are taking the bold step of applying for the presidency, despite knowing they have almost no chance of winning.

Their goal is not to secure the top job but to challenge the entrenched system of distributing posts based on sect and political affiliation, a system critics say perpetuates corruption, inefficiency and sectarianism.

Under Iraq's ethno-sectarian power-sharing system, established after the 2003 US-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein, the presidency is reserved for a Kurd, the parliamentary speaker's post for a Sunni and the prime minister's office for a Shiite.

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A long-standing agreement among the Kurds stipulates that the president's post goes to a Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) candidate, while the leadership of Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish region is held by the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP).

The PUK announced on Monday that its only presidential candidate is Nizar Amedi, former Iraqi minister of environment. The KDP has yet to announce whether it will support the PUK candidate or propose its own.

This informal agreement between the political parties, known as "muhasasa" in Arabic, has been criticised for promoting corruption and sectarian division.

Ahmed Tawfiq, a retired chemical engineer and economic expert, travelled from his hometown in Sulaimaniyah province, Kurdistan region, to Baghdad to apply for the presidency as an independent candidate.

“I want to tell Iraqis and the world that there are competent and qualified people other than the current politicians who are appointed every time according to muhasasa,” Mr Tawfiq, 69, told The National.

“For them, the country is a cake and each one of them takes a piece, not allowing anyone else to compete with them to serve the people.

“If things continue like this, this system will end and America itself will get rid of it due to the circumstances in the region and the world, especially as some of its players are trying to rebel against America.”

Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) candidate for Iraq's presidency, Nizar Amedi. Photo: Iraqi News Agency

On November 11 Iraq held its sixth national election since 2003, with an unexpectedly high turnout of 56.11 per cent of the electorate.

Departing prime minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani's Reconstruction and Development coalition came first, winning 46 of the 329 seats comprising the legislative body.

No single contender cleared the finish line with a parliamentary majority, leaving the country on the brink of another marathon of coalition-assembly and political wrangling to form a new government, which could take months.

Last week, parliament held its first session, with the legislators taking the oath and electing Sunni politician Haibat Al Halbousi as Speaker, kicking off the gruelling process of forming a government.

After holding its first session, parliament must elect a president within 30 days. The president, in turn, will name a prime minister, selected by the largest parliamentary bloc, to form the cabinet within 15 days.

Iraq has often failed to meet these constitutional deadlines due to disputes between rival factions. Mr Al Sudani took office a full year after the October 2021 election.

The deadline for applications for the presidential post is Monday but there has been no word yet from parliament on how many candidates have applied.

Iraqi Shiite political parties have formed the largest bloc inside the parliament, the Co-ordination Framework, but have not reached an agreement on their nominees for prime minister. Mr Al Sudani is seeking another term in office but faces objections from the main Shiite bloc.

The Iraqi parliamentary session to appoint a speaker for the chamber. AFP

End to 'muhasasa'

The independent candidates are demanding a more inclusive and merit-based approach to government. They say the current system fails to address Iraq's pressing issues, such as unemployment, poor public services and widespread corruption.

“Distributing the posts through agreements based on political and sectarian quotas has resulted only in significant political devastation, widespread corruption and destructive policies,” candidate Amera Jabir said.

The 43-year-old journalist and holder of a master's degree in project management, delivered a message with her nomination: “Respecting the constitution which doesn’t endorse muhasasa is essential to avoid the complicated problems we are living in now.”

These candidacies are a testament to Iraqis' desire for change due to increasing frustration with the political elite.

The move is part of a broader trend of protests and demands for reform, with citizens calling for an end to the muhasasa system, and the establishment of a more accountable and transparent government.

“Today, we are seeing the regimes that relied on corruption and dictatorship to govern the state are falling,” Ms Jabir told The National.

"Iraq is also adrift because this system has not saved it – on the contrary, it has created cantons, and a fragile and weak system."