Latif Rashid on Thursday became the President of Iraq following a vote in Parliament, which marked the beginning of the formation of the Iraqi government – a year after the parliamentary elections in the country, Rudaw reports.
Rashid beat his opponent, former Iraqi President Barham Saleh, by 63 votes. In total, 162 deputies voted for Rashid.
Mohammed al-Sudani, who is running for the new prime minister, is expected to form a government within 30 days.
Previously, Rashid served as the Minister of Water Resources of Iraq, and was also a representative of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan party.
Protests against corruption in Iraq caused early parliamentary elections in the country in October 2021. However, elected parliamentarians could not form a government due to disagreements between political blocs over the mechanisms for its formation.
