Iraq Parliament works to dismiss president

The Iraqi Parliament is planning to vote on the dismissal of country’s President Fuad Masum because he has failing to take a stance on Kurdistan’s planned referendum to break away from Iraq.

Seventy-nine-year-old Masum, who stems from the Kurdistan Union Party, is the second Kurdish president after Jalal Talabani.

Member of Parliament Awatif Nimah of the Shia National Alliance told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed news site that the lawmakers want to replace Masum because as president he represents both Baghdad and Erbil, but he has not taken a stand on the referendum.

Nimah stressed that many MPs were disappointed by his lack of action. A request for his dismissal will be submitted to the Parliament speaker to be put forward for a vote, she added.

“We will withdraw positions from the Kurds as long as they are with the separation,” she said.

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A member of the Union of Forces, Abdul Karim Abtan, told the news site that under Article 67 of the Constitution, the president should maintain the country’s unity so Masum’s silence violates the constitution.

Members of the Kurdistan Alliance have condemned calls for Masum’s dismissal saying they will lead to an escalation and greater tensions.