January 25, 2026 — Dalena Reporters
Iraq’s newly elected parliament is scheduled to convene on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, to elect the country’s next president, a constitutional step that will pave the way for the appointment of a new prime minister, sources said. The announcement was made by Parliamentary Speaker Haibat Al-Halbussi on Sunday.
Under Iraq’s power-sharing conventions, the largely ceremonial presidency is typically held by a Kurdish leader, the prime minister’s post goes to a Shiite Muslim, and the parliament speakership is held by a Sunni Muslim — a framework designed to maintain political balance in the ethnically and religiously diverse country.
Once elected, the president will have 15 days to nominate a prime minister, in accordance with constitutional provisions. Lawmakers are poised to select Nouri Al-Maliki, the veteran politician and former prime minister, for the prime ministerial role after his endorsement by the Coordination Framework alliance, the largest Shiite parliamentary bloc.
The Coordination Framework’s support for Al-Maliki reflects negotiations among Iraq’s dominant political blocs in the wake of recent national elections. The alliance cited his “political and administrative experience and his record in running the state” as factors in its endorsement.
While the main Shiite faction has rallied around Al-Maliki’s prime ministership, Kurdish political parties are still deliberating on their presidential candidate, which must secure a two-thirds majority in parliament to win the office.
This parliamentary session marks a key moment in Iraq’s political transition and sets the stage for formal government formation after months of post-election negotiations and alliance building.