UPDATE 3 - Iraqi parliament elects Abdul Latif Rashid as country's 4th president

UPDATES WITH ELECTION OF ABDUL LATIF RASHID, ADDS DETAILS ON PM-DESIGNATE

By Haydar Karaalp

BAGHDAD (AA) - Iraq's parliament on Thursday elected Abdul Latif Rashid as the country's new president after he secured more votes than incumbent Barham Salih.

Rashid received 162 votes, while his predecessor Salih received only 99 votes, according to the official Iraqi news agency.

A second round of voting was held after the candidates failed to obtain two-thirds support among lawmakers in the first round.

The votes were "limited to" Salih and Rashid in the first round, according to a lawmaker from the Sovereignty Alliance, the largest Sunni bloc in parliament.

Earlier on Thursday, Parliament Speaker Mohamed al-Halbousi called to order the chamber's sixth session on electing the president.

Iraqi political parties had failed to agree on electing a new president and prime minister since general elections held a year ago this week.

After his election, Rashid appointed Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani to form a new government.

Since 2014, Al-Sudani has served three terms as a member of parliament.

Born in 1970, he has also served as the minister of labor, minister of agriculture and minister of industry in different periods.