Meet the new President of Iraq : Barham Salih

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Iraq's parliament today elected the moderate Kurdish politician Barham Salih as the country's new President. Salih is a former prime minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraqi Kurdistan and a former deputy prime minister of the Iraqi federal government. 

"I will be the president of Iraq and not for a certain group, entity or component," Salih pledged. "I will work according to the democratic system," he said, recalling "the martyrs of Iraq, victims of mass graves, Halabja and all the martyrs."

Salih gained 219 votes out of a total of 272 lawmakers who cast their yesterday in the second round of voting, advancing on his rival Fuad Hussein who gained 22 votes in the session.

According to the constitution, Salih will have 15 days after taking office to task the nominee of the largest alliance to form the government of the next four years.

After his election, Sailh immediately named Adel Abdul Mahdi as the Prime Minister-designate and tasked him with forming a new government. According to Iraq's constitution, Abdul Mahdi now has 30 days to form a government and present it to parliament for approval.

About Iraq :

• Capital : Baghdad
• Anthem : Mawtini
• Official Languages : Arabic, Kurdish
• President : Barham Salih
• Prime Minister : Haider al-Abadi
• Currency : Iraqui Dinar
• Got Independence from the UK in : 1932

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