Iraq’s parliament finally elected Kurdish politician Abdul Latif Rashid as the country’s new president on Thursday, after a yearlong political stalemate that had turned violent during the past few months.
Latif Rashid won 162 out of 269 votes, beating out current President Barham Salim, who only obtained 99 votes, according to a statement from the Iraqi parliament.
The vote Thursday marks the end of the longest political deadlock Iraq has seen since 2003, the year former leader Saddam Hussein was overthrown by US forces, and this time, democracy wins.
Iraq elections in October 2021 saw Shia Muslim cleric Moqtada al-Sadr’s party come out victorious, winning more than 70 seats and, with them, considerable influence in creating a government. Since then many politicians have tried to form a government.
Al-Sadr’s attempts at forming a ruling coalition, however, foundered amid opposition from rival blocs. Months of political paralysis followed.
Eight months later, Al-Sadr who was a popular cleric at that time and had positioned himself against both Iran and the United States, ordered his party to withdraw from parliament, igniting fears of a constitutional disaster.
Two months later, al-Sadr said he was resigning from politics. His loyalists responded with a deadly frenzy through the capital’s streets in a show of force that left 21 people dead and more than 250 injured.
The Green Zone was again occupied, though al-Sadr ordered his supporters to go home 24 hours after his announcement.
Despite the orders, violence has continued in the Green zone. Prior to Thursday’s parliamentary session, nine rockets landed in and around the fortified area, injuring several people including a member of the Iraqi security forces.
Current Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi condemned the attacks, saying they attempted to hinder the current political process.
