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The Presidency Council of Iraq, under the Constitution of Iraq and previously under the Transitional Administrative Law, serves collectively as the head of state of Iraq. The Presidency council consists of one President and two deputies, or Vice-Presidents. The Presidency Council must make all decisions unanimously. After the next election in 2009, the Council will be replaced by a single President as head of state.[1]
The members of the Presidency Council are elected by a two-thirds majority in the Iraqi Council of Representatives. The Presidency Council has the right to veto legislation passed by the Council of Representatives, but the Council of Representatives may override the veto with a 60% majority. [2] Under the TAL the override required a two-thirds majority.
The Presidency Council appoints the Prime Minister of Iraq, who appoints the ministers which form the Iraqi Council of Ministers. The Presidency Council has the right to appoint military officers at the rank of General, pending the approval of a majority of the Council of Representatives. The Presidency Council chooses between the Higher Juridical Council nominees for the Supreme Court.
In addition, the Presidency Council serves as the ceremonial commander-in-chief of the Iraqi Armed Forces, however it exerts no command authority.
The first Presidency Council was elected by the National Assembly on 6 April 2005, after more than two months of negotiations between the United Iraqi Alliance and Democratic Patriotic Alliance of Kurdistan political factions. Kurdish leader Jalal Talabani became President, with Shi'ite UIA and SCIRI member Adel Abdul Mahdi and outgoing Sunni President Ghazi al-Yawar as his deputies.
The second Presidency Council, the first under the new Constitution of Iraq, consisted of President Jalal Talabani, and Vice Presidents Adel Abdul Mahdi and Tariq Al-Hashimi.
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