The Iraqi parliament was initially due to vote on a new president last week, but adjourned due to lack of quorum over political differences, extending Salih’s stay in office.

The ruling comes hours after a separate court decision barring former foreign minister Hosyhar Zebari from running for the presidency over corruption allegations.The court had ruled that Zebari is not eligible to run for presidency due to corruption allegations. On Feb. 6, the court issued an order that prevented Zebari from competing for presidency.

He was barred from standing until the court reaches a verdict on a case against the former foreign minister, raised by four MPs with allegations of corruption in 2016.

Zebari, representing the Kurdistan Democratic Party, was in the lead and had every chance of winning the elections before the allegations came out.