Iraqi Parliament elected Mohammad al-Halbousi, a Sunni lawmaker as speaker on Saturday, taking the first step to form a new government, a Kurdish lawmaker told Avatoday.
“Today, Mohammad al-Halbousi was elected as Iraqi Parliament’s speaker,” Ahmad Haji Rashid, a Kurdish MP told Avatoday, adding that the MPs are about to elect parliament’s two deputies.
“There is possibility that the first deputy would be from Saeron Alliance led by Muqtada al-Sadr and the second deputy would be a Kurd, which there are three candidates for the position. “
Electing the Parliament speaker and his deputies is the first step towards establishing Iraq’s new government.
The 36-year-old al-Halbousi, a Sunni Arab Lawmaker and former governor of Anbar, achieved169 votes and beat out Khalid al-Obaidi, former minister of defense with 89 votes.
