Iraq’s parliament has elected Nizar Amidi as president, five months after elections failed to produce a decisive majority. The vote took place Saturday.

The real story of Zaidi is that he is largely unknown and appears to have been chosen almost by chance, as if Iraq’s politicians simply settled on a random figure to lead the country.

Iraq’s parliament has elected Nizar Amedi as the country’s new president, ending a political deadlock that had paralysed government formation. Amedi was nominated by the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan ...