Nizar Amidi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nizar Amidi
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| نزار ئامێدی نزار آميدي |
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Official portrait, 2026
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| 10th President of Iraq | |
| Assumed office 11 April 2026 |
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| Preceded by | Abdul Latif Rashid |
| Minister of Environment | |
| In office 3 December 2022 – 25 October 2024 |
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| Preceded by | Jassim Abdul Aziz al-Falahi |
| Succeeded by | Hallo Mustafa Kaka Reza |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Nizar Mohammed Saeed Amidi
8 February 1968 Amedi, Mosul Province, Iraq |
| Political party | Patriotic Union of Kurdistan |
| Alma mater | University of Mosul |
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Nizar Mohammed Saeed Amidi (born on February 8, 1968) is an Iraqi engineer and politician. He is the current president of Iraq, having started his term on April 11, 2026.
Before becoming president, Mr. Amidi was a member of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), which is a political party in Iraq. He served as the Minister of Environment in the government led by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani from 2022 to 2024.
Nizar Amidi earned an engineering degree from the University of Mosul in 1993. After that, he worked as a physics teacher. He has over 20 years of experience in government and political roles. He also worked as a top advisor for several Iraqi state organizations. Mr. Amidi was the chief of staff for four previous presidents of Iraq between 2008 and 2022. From 2024, he led the main political office of the PUK in Baghdad.
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Nizar Amidi's Early Life and Education
Nizar Amidi was born on February 6, 1968, in a town called Amedi in the Duhok Governorate of Iraq. For his college studies, he moved to Mosul.
In 1993, he completed his bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering at the University of Mosul. During the 1990s, he worked as a physics teacher. He lived and worked in both Sulaymaniyah and Baghdad during this time.
Nizar Amidi's Political Journey
Mr. Amidi joined the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) political party in the 1990s. He has held many important jobs in the Iraqi government. For example, he helped connect the main Iraqi government with the government of the Kurdistan Region.
From 2005 to 2008, Amidi was a personal assistant to Jalal Talabani, who later became president. Then, from 2008 to 2014, during Mr. Talabani's time as president, Amidi was his chief of staff. This means he was a main helper and manager for the President's office. He continued to be the chief of staff for presidents Fuad Masum (2014-2018), Barham Salih (2018-2022), and briefly for Abdul Latif Rashid in 2022.
Serving as Environment Minister
Nizar Amidi served as Iraq's Minister of Environment. He started this role on December 3, 2022, in the government of Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani. He left this job on October 25, 2024, to focus more on political party work.
After leaving the ministry, he became the leader of the PUK's Political Bureau in Baghdad. This office helps manage the party's activities in the capital city.
On September 18, 2024, Mr. Amidi announced an important plan. It was called the "National Strategy for the Protection and Improvement of the Environment in Iraq (2024–2030)." This plan was created with help from the United Nations Development Program and USAID. Its goal is to solve Iraq's biggest environmental problems.
Becoming President of Iraq
How Iraq's President is Chosen
In Iraq, there is an informal agreement about how top government jobs are shared. This agreement says that the prime minister should be a Shia Muslim, the speaker of parliament a Sunni Muslim, and the president must be a Kurd. The president's job is mostly ceremonial, meaning it has important duties but less direct power than the prime minister.
Usually, the two main Kurdish parties, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), agree on who will be president. The PUK usually holds the federal presidency. However, for the 2026 election, the KDP nominated Fuad Hussein, which caused a disagreement. This dispute led to delays in choosing a president.
Nizar Amidi's Election as President
On April 11, 2026, Nizar Amidi was elected as the president of Iraq. The Council of Representatives, which is Iraq's parliament, voted for him. He won in the second round of voting with 227 votes. His opponent, Muthanna Amin, received 15 votes.
In the first round, Amidi had 208 votes. However, he needed 220 votes, which is two-thirds of the parliament, to win right away. After the election, the KDP party stated that they did not see Nizar Amidi as representing the Kurdish majority. They also said they would not work with him.
After being elected, President Amidi said his main goal would be "Iraq First." He spoke about protecting Iraq's land and working for peace in the region.
Nizar Amidi's Family Life
Nizar Amidi is married and has four children.
