🇮🇶 Iraq
Federation, federal republicElectoral autocracy
Nizar Amidi
President · 1,461 days in office
How the political system works in Iraq
Iraq is governed as a federation with a federal republic. Its president, Nizar Amidi, has led the country since Oct 17, 2022. Iraq has had 12 presidents since 1958. Under the Regimes of the World classification, it counts as an electoral autocracy.
Tenure records
Longest-serving
Saddam Hussein
8,668 days
Shortest-serving
Abd ar-Rahman al-Bazzaz
3 days
Average tenure
2,209 days
Nizar Amidi: 34% below average
Female leaders
0 of 12
All male to date
Recent presidents by days in office
Is a leader's tenure getting longer or shorter in Iraq?
Across 11 completed terms, the average president of Iraq has served 2,209 days (about 6.0 years). Terms are getting shorter: the last five completed terms averaged just 1,591 days. The last leader to beat the average was Jalal Talabani, who left office in 2014.
One completed term Average tenure per decade
All presidents of Iraq
| # | Name | Took office | Left office | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 |  Nizar Amidi | Apr 12, 2026 | Incumbent | 188 |
| 11 |  Abdul Latif Rashid | Oct 13, 2022 | Apr 11, 2026 | 1,276 |
| 10 |  Barham Salih | Oct 2, 2018 | Oct 13, 2022 | 1,472 |
| 9 |  Fuad Masum | Jul 24, 2014 | Oct 2, 2018 | 1,531 |
| 8 |  Jalal Talabani | Apr 7, 2005 | Jul 24, 2014 | 3,395 |
| 7 |  Ghazi Mashal Ajil al-Yawer | Jun 28, 2004 | Apr 7, 2005 | 283 |
| 6 |  Saddam Hussein | Jul 16, 1979 | Apr 9, 2003 | 8,668 |
| 5 |  Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr | Jul 17, 1968 | Jul 16, 1979 | 4,016 |
| 4 |  Abdul Rahman Arif | Apr 16, 1966 | Jul 17, 1968 | 823 |
| 3 |  Abd ar-Rahman al-Bazzaz | Apr 13, 1966 | Apr 16, 1966 | 3 |
| 2 |  Abdul Salam Arif | Feb 8, 1963 | Apr 13, 1966 | 1,160 |
| 1 |  Muhammad Najib Al-Rubaiy | Jul 14, 1958 | Feb 8, 1963 | 1,670 |
Officeholder history via Wikidata. Multiple rows for one person indicate separate terms.
Frequently asked questions
- Who is the President of Iraq?
- Nizar Amidi has been President of Iraq since Oct 17, 2022.
- How is the leader of Iraq chosen?
- Iraq is governed as a federation with a federal republic. Its president, Nizar Amidi, has led the country since Oct 17, 2022. Iraq has had 12 presidents since 1958. Under the Regimes of the World classification, it counts as an electoral autocracy.
- Who is the longest-serving President of Iraq?
- Saddam Hussein, with 8,668 days in office.
- Are leaders serving longer or shorter terms in Iraq?
- Across 11 completed terms, the average president of Iraq has served 2,209 days (about 6.0 years). Terms are getting shorter: the last five completed terms averaged just 1,591 days. The last leader to beat the average was Jalal Talabani, who left office in 2014.
- Has Iraq ever had a female president?
- No. All 12 presidents of Iraq to date have been men.