SULAIMANI (ESTA) — Dozens of Iraqis protested in Baghdad on Friday against the nomination of Hoshyar Zebari as a candidate for the Iraqi presidency.
The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) has nominated Zebari who is accused of corruption as its candidate for the position of Iraqi president.
In 2016, Iraqi parliament sacked Zebari from his post as finance minister over alleged corruptions and misuse of public funds. Zebari denied the accusations.
Zebari, who also served as Iraq’s foreign minister for more than a decade, lost a no-confidence vote by 158 to 77.
Dozens of Iraqis gathered in Tahrir square in Baghdad in protest of the nomination of Zebari as a candidate for the presidency.
“No, no to Zebari. Yes, yes to punish the corrupt,” said a poster. “We do not want the nomination of corrupt Hoshyar Zebari. He is rejected by people’s order,” said another poster.
The Iraqi Council of Representatives, which re-elected Mohammed al-Halbousi as its speaker, opened nominations for Iraq’s president on January 11.
The parliament has set February 7 as a date to hold a session to elect a new president for the country, according to a parliament’s statement.
The Council of Representatives will announce nominees on January 31, with over 40 individuals competing for the post.
